


Blame It On Midnight

by KyloTrashForever



Category: Logan Lucky (2017), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Because That’s As Slow Burn As I Can Do, Belts Are Made For Holding Things, Clueless Lovesick Fools, Clyde Was Special Ops, Daddy Kink Lite ™️, Don’t Worry I’m Only Trying To Make It To Like Chapter Ten, Emotional Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Is This A Daddy Kink?, Just Joshin’ Jimmie, Meddling Mellie, Mutual Pining, Older Man/Younger Woman, Preferably From Clyde, Quiet But Not Soft, Rey Ain’t No Kid, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey is a Thief, Reylogan, Size Difference, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Stump Porn Eventually Just A Warning, We Reward Good Manners With Oral Sex In This House, Well Folks We Did Not Make It To Chapter 10, brief mention of ableism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2019-09-24 05:43:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 36,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17094941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyloTrashForever/pseuds/KyloTrashForever
Summary: “Well I’ll be a son of a bitch.”He’d almost been robbed by a damned lady.“Let me go asshole!”“Don’t that beat all,” he chuckled despite himself. “Breakin’ in tomyhouse andI’mthe asshole.”She continued to scowl; stubborn as a mule this one.“I ain’t gonna call the cops,” he assured her. He didn’t need the law sniffing around anymore than she did. “Not if you cooperate.”In which Rey came to steal Clyde’s money— but just might steal his heart instead.





	1. Don’t That Beat All

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gopherbroke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gopherbroke/gifts).



> So, I’ve been sitting this for awhile, and decided to post today because it is the eight month anniversary since my FIRST upload to AO3! Seeing as this is a gift for my lovely Reylo twin gopherbroke, it seemed fitting to post today seeing as without her— I wouldn’t even be here. She has been my biggest encourager, strongest champion, and all around best friend in this fandom and I don’t know where I’d be without her! I love you, babe and Merry Christmas! ❤️
> 
> A note— this story is literally the most fun I’ve had writing in a long time. It’s so close to my _actual_ life that it’s just been a dream. Now, I don’t live in West Virginia, so the dialogue might come out a little more Southern Oklahoma... but I reckon it’s fairly similiar. Writing my own accent and southerisms into this has been a hoot. I hope ya’ll love my Clyde as much as I do! ❤️
> 
> Song title and heavy story inspiration from this [song](https://youtu.be/XUl-83PSZks).

* * *

 

Clyde woke with a start, the muffled sounds of footsteps sounding in his house rousing him from sleep. He’d been attuned to light sleeping, a hazard of too many nights catching fleeting moments of rest under a hostile sky. He shot up in bed, his hair mussed from sleep and hanging in his eyes and his bare chest flushed with sweat from the space heater in the corner. He’d definitely meant to turn it down before bed. He rolled to grab for the robotic prosthesis on his night stand, slipping it on quietly before reaching inside for the Ruger he kept there.

He held the firearm low by his waist, paranoia seeping through him as he crept down the hall of the trailer with all the stealth he possessed. He could hear the muted sounds of his things being rifled through, pressing himself against the shadowed hall as he peered into the kitchen.

Whoever was sneaking around his living room was quiet, _too quiet,_ and anyone else might still be snoozing in bed right now. He stealthily chamber-loaded the handgun, holding it in front of him with a finesse that came to him like second nature. He continued into the dark kitchen, just making out a figure looking through his books on the shelf. Why would they be looking through his books?

They were small, too small to be a man. A kid, maybe. Clyde pushed further, his steps slow and purposeful as he quietly approached. The intruder kept at their work, opening each book quickly and shaking it out before quickly moving on to the next one.

He rested the gun just behind where their ear would be beneath the dark hood of their jacket, clearing his throat.

“Don’t know what you think you’re doin’,” Clyde warned, “but you’d best just back up nice and easy.”

The thief stilled, slowly dropping the book they held and taking a step back. Clyde moved to reach for the lamp, the intruder taking the moment of distraction to try and make a run for it. Clyde launched himself at them, throwing his good arm around their surprisingly slim waist and holding them tight against him.

He almost dropped his gun when his forearm met with rounded softness that could only be of a particular persuasion, holding the thief still as he wrenched the cord on the brass lamp he kept on the end table.

_“_ Well I’ll be a son of a bitch,” he murmured incredulously.

He’d almost been robbed by a damned lady.

“Let me go asshole!” she shrieked in his hold.

“Don’t that beat all,” he chuckled despite himself. “Breakin’ in to _my_ house and _I’m_ the asshole.”

She looked awful young, a smattering of freckles across the tanned skin of her petite face only adding to her youthful appearance. Said face was morphed into a scowl in that moment, and even in her irate state Clyde noticed she was a pretty little thing. He wasn’t quite sure what to do with her, glancing around his living room for some sort of solution.

He spotted his belt draped across the couch, right where he’d left it when he’d got home yesterday and he sat the Ruger on the end table to snatch it up. She was such a tiny thing he easily wrapped the leather accessory all the way around her middle, binding her arms behind her back and cinching the belt tight.

“That oughta do you for a minute,” he affirmed, setting her on his couch. She immediately tried to shoot to her feet to bolt again, and he urged her back down with a firm hand to the shoulder and a stern look. “Now look here, you’re gonna sit there till I figure out what the hell’s going on or I’ll be callin’ the cops like I should do anyhow. Understand?”

She frowned, going still and glaring up at him as if _he_ were the one in trouble. Well, that was something. “What’s your name?”

Her mouth pursed into a tight line, her face pinching in some sort of stubborn attempt to keep from answering his question. He sighed, rubbing his eyes and wishing he could just go back to sleep. “I really don’t want the cops at my place if it’s all the same to you, so can you just be a good little girl and tell me your damned name?”

“I ain’t no little girl,” she hissed.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Could have fooled me. What are you, seventeen?”

“Nineteen,” she grumbled.

“Too young to be sneakin’ into people’s houses at night dressed like a cat burglar. What was you hopin’ to find in my trailer?”

She scoffed. “Don’t play ignorant mister, we all know the story about how you robbed that race.”

He was afraid of that. He had to admit he’d had his fears that some treasure seeking fool would come to call looking to get a piece, he’d just never dreamed it would be a fresh faced girl with eyes that even in the yellowed light of the lamp seemed to shine bright. He couldn’t tell what color they were. Blue? Green? He also couldn’t figure out why it mattered just then. He just couldn’t help thinking they seemed sad somehow.

“You wanna tell me your name now?” he tried again.

She continued to scowl; stubborn as a mule this one.

“I ain’t gonna call the cops,” he assured her. He didn’t need the law sniffing around anymore than she did. “Not if you cooperate.”

“Rey,” she offered after several seconds of contemplative silence. “Rey Kenobi.”

Kenobi. _Kenobi._ That sounded familiar. He wracked his brain to come up with where he’d heard it, finally placing it as everything clicked into place. “Aw hell, you ain’t ole Ben’s kid are you?”

She nodded slowly, still looking tense. He frowned, trying to piece this whole thing together. “Girl I’ve known your Daddy since I was tippin’ cows on the old Ferguson farm. What do you think he’d say if he knew you were breakin’ into people’s houses?”

She looked away from him, chewing on her lip as her eyes fell to the floor. “I don’t reckon he’d say anything. He’s dead.”

“Shit,” he huffed regretfully. “I had no idea. Haven’t seen your old man in a couple years since he moved over near Madison. That don’t tell me why you’re stealin’ though.”

Her face softened for the first time since he’d seen her, the lack of scowl lines only making her prettier and he wondered again how a sweet looking girl like her ended up here. She sighed, finally meeting his eyes. “He got sick. Last winter. I lost him before Christmas and cancer wracks up a whole fuck ton of bills if you didn’t know. Guess who they went to when he died?”

“He didn’t have life insurance or somethin’ like that?” Clyde wondered.

She shook her head. “Stubborn ass thought he was going to live forever I guess.”

What a fucking mess. Here she was trying to rob him blind and he was left feeling sorry for _her._ “You know it’s all kinds of stupid for you to be sneakin’ into a strange man’s house at night. What if I were to assault you? Hell, kill you? You don’t look like you weigh any more than a wet cat anyhow. What was your plan if I’d been a little meaner than I’m bein’?”

She looked sheepish then, averting her eyes to the floor once more as a blush stole over her. “They told me you was a cripple,” she muttered guiltily.

“Ah,” he nodded. There it was. He just bet he’d seemed like an easy target. “Well, do I look like a cripple to you?”

He didn’t miss the way she glanced up, her eyes raking over his bare chest and continuing down to his prosthesis for only a second before traveling up to meet his eyes. She shook her head, quiet as she replied, “No, I guess you don’t.”

He scrubbed a hand down the length of his face, letting it linger at his chin as he considered what he should do. He stole a glance at his captive, huffing out a sigh. “You got a place to go?”

“Lost the house to the bank, but I manage. Just let me go,” she urged.

He worked his jaw, knowing he was going to regret this somehow but his damned bleeding heart not allowing him to let her walk back out into the cold without at least offering. “You’re welcome to the couch.”

She reeled, giving him an incredulous look. “Excuse me?”

“I didn’t stutter. If I did you heard me twice,” he snarked. “Sleep on that couch, don’t steal my stuff, and in the mornin’ we’ll figure out your shit.”

She eyed him warily, seeming to be trying to figure out his angle. Impatient, tired, and just about done with this nonsense, he threw up his arms in frustration. “Or you can head back out into that cold November night and take your chances. What’ll it be?”

“You’re not going to call the cops?” she worried.

He rolled his eyes. “Pretty sure I’d have done that already if I had a mind to.”

“You’re not like a pervert or something are you?” she asked accusingly.

“Ain’t interested in no kid,” he groused.

She glared at him, not seeming to like being called out on her age but finally nodding. “Fine. I’ll take the couch.”

“Alright. I’m going to untie you now, and if you do something ignorant I’ll throw you outside by your hair. You hear me, girl?” he warned.

She nodded begrudgingly. “ _Fine.”_

He reached to undo the belt he’d cinched around her, setting her free as she rubbed at her arms. He crossed the room to the hall closet, pulling a thick blanket from the shelf and returning to offer it to her. “Here.”

She took it, still watching him as if he were a little insane. Hell, at this point he figured he might be. This was definitely a story he oughta keep from Jimmy. He grabbed the Ruger from the end table, intending to put it back where it belonged. He shook his head, ready to crawl back under his sheets but turning in the kitchen before he left her. “I mean it, you steal from me there’ll be hell to pay. I know your name and your face and I won’t hesitate to give the law both. Understand?”

“I said fine, mister,” she grumbled.

“It ain’t mister, it’s Clyde,” he corrected, her formal address of him making him feel much older than his thirty-two years. “Clyde Logan.”

“Alright,” she nodded complacently, unfolding the blanket and covering herself with it before she reached for the lamp.

He lingered for a moment, his heart going out to the sad girl with the sad eyes. He quickly brushed that away, just ready to go back to sleep and hoping he didn’t wake up to half his shit missing.

When he’d finally crawled back into his bed, he again asked himself why in the fuck he’d offered to let her stay. He supposed maybe it was because he knew what desperate looked like. He’d seen it in his Mama after his Daddy had gone, in his boys in the army trying to get home, even in his own brother here _at_ home… and he knew in those moments sometimes people just needed a chance to be better. He didn’t know if he was doing good or doing stupid, but he figured it didn’t hurt to try.

Now he just had to make it through the night without her murdering him in his sleep and everything would be just fine.

* * *

 Clyde was relieved to find himself still breathing the next morning, his bedroom door still shut like he’d left it and everything seeming in place from this side of it. He sat up slowly, blinking away the lingering remnants of sleep at his eyes. He hated mornings. Almost as much as he hated this damned cold weather. The frigid temperatures always caused his old wound to ache, the stump throbbing as if fresh. He rubbed at it idly before pushing the hair from his eyes, finally swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

He stretched, trying to work the kink from his neck that he accredited to his overnight shenanigans with his impromptu houseguest. Searching the floor for a clean shirt, he quickly pulled one over his head and decided to chance a look at the rest of the house.

Lord, he hoped she at least left the damned TV.

He cracked open his bedroom door, glancing around it and noticing everything down the hall still seemed as it should be. He crept over the faded linoleum, still not seeing anything amiss and breathing a sigh of relief. He wanted to believe in the good in people, sure, but still there’d been a part of him that had worried she’d bolt with an armful of his things.

He found her on the couch where he’d left her, curled under the heavy blanket. She’d pulled her hair down from the high ponytail she’d worn before, and it fell around her face in soft waves. He had to admit that lying on his couch, her full lips parted softly in sleep, she didn’t look like a kid. She looked like, well… a woman.

He tried to put her to memory, reaching back to a time when he might have met her. He knew old Ben had landed himself a kid out of wedlock late in his years, and he vaguely remembered meeting a little wobbly toddler at some point or another. The mom had run off the minute Rey had been born, or so he’d heard. Her hair had been blonde then, not the dark honey that drew his eye then.

She stirred, the blanket slipping from her shoulders, and she shivered lightly. He supposed the living room did get a lot colder than his bedroom and for a minute he felt bad. He gently pulled the blanket back over her, tucking it over her shoulders and stepping away to leave her be. When she woke up, he’d figure out what to do with her.

He suspected she didn’t have anywhere to go, but obviously he couldn’t keep a young girl at his place. Never mind the fact that Jimmy would give him a healthy dose of shit for it, but it didn’t seem proper. Still, he couldn’t just throw her back out onto the street. He’d figure something out.

He let his eyes linger on her for far longer than was necessary, still trying to puzzle her out. Finally realizing he would look like a pervert standing over her like this were she to wake up and catch him, he backed away to return to his bedroom. He needed to grab a shower before heading into Duct Tape to start on inventory, and he figured it would give Rey a little more time to sleep before he had to wake her up.

It hit him when he was working shampoo through his hair that Rey was the first woman he’d had in his home since before Iraq… other than Mellie and the occasional times Jimmy had brought Bobbie Joe by (when they’d still been sweet on each other that is). He almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it all; she was the first woman he’d been alone with in years and she’d been trying to rob him blind. Then he offered her a place to _sleep._

He didn’t like the way his thoughts lingered on her sleeping face, cropping up unbidden and he chastised his errant mind, reminding it and other devious parts of his anatomy that she was nineteen and a thief. He was just jittery about being alone with her, that’s all it was. Nothing to get all riled up about.

He finished showering quickly, stepping out to reach for a towel and fumbling to wrap it around himself. It was amazing what you took for granted having two hands, such a simple task becoming a chore when left with only one. He finally tucked it around his waist, stepping back into his bedroom and sorting through his clothes. He chose a thicker flannel button down, hoping to beat back some of the cold air outside. Damn, he _really_ hated the cold.

Finally finding himself dressed, he attached his prosthesis, locking it in place and testing its movement. He couldn’t decide if he liked this fancy contraption better than his old lug of an arm. It moved and worked as it was meant to, but it only seemed to make him all too aware of what he’d lost. The motions were alien and disconnected, never quite feeling like the real thing.

He blew out a breath, knowing that was as good as it was going to get and exiting his bedroom. He strode through the kitchen, left frozen when he found his living room empty. The blanket he’d given her the night before was folded neatly on the couch, a scrap of paper resting atop it. He picked it up, turning it over to see a few lines of scribbled handwriting that seemed no better than a child’s.

 

_Clyde,_

_Thanks for not turning me in, and for the couch. I’m sorry for trying to steal your shit. You’re a good guy. I won’t bother you again. Promise._

_Rey_

 

He held the paper in his hand for several moments, not quite understanding why he felt disappointed. He supposed it was because he’d felt a kinship to the sad girl. He knew what it was like to feel alone. He hoped wherever she wound up she found more reasons to smile.

He heaved out a sigh, slipping the note into his pocket and grabbing his keys from the coffee table. He glanced again at the spot where she’d slept, giving a slow shake of his head.

Now to make sure Jimmy _never_ found out about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll try to leave a guide for some Southerisms at the end of these chapters. Some are straight forward, (least to me), but just in case! 
> 
> _Ruger_ \- brand of pistol (adding this because my beta had no idea what it was 😂)  
>  _weigh any more than a wet cat_ \- she don’t weigh much  
>  _tippin’ cows_ \- okay, but literally... sneaking up on a sleeping cow and tipping them over. DO NOT TRY THIS.  
>  _sweet on each other_ \- in a relationship


	2. Ain’t No Try

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys. 😭 Thank y’all for the amazing responses the first chapter! I can’t tell you what this story means to me. So I appreciate it so much. ❤️
> 
> This chapter is in Rey’s POV, and they will continue to alternate throughout the remainder of the story.

* * *

Fuck it was cold today. Rey tugged at her thin coat, pulling it tighter around herself as she stood outside the convenience store. Her stomach growled, and she already hated herself for what she was planning to do. Still, it was either stealing or starving, and she’d tried the latter.

She hated this life she’d fell into, but the few times she’d tried to hold down a job since she’d graduated she’d always seemed to fuck it up somehow. She was just so angry. Angry at her daddy, angry at God, just… _angry._ She should be in college right now, and instead she was standing outside the mini mart planning to swipe a bag of chips just to stop her stomach from growling.

She hated everything about it.

She knew she could go see _them_ again, but the very idea of it forced her stomach into knots. No, better to leave them as a last resort— besides, she’d yet to inform them that she’d come up empty handed. She pushed inside the door of the convenience store, the bell overhead sounding and the girl behind the counter giving her a bored look as Rey moved towards the back of the store. She’d learned the trick to stealing was to act like you owned it already. Don’t be looking around and acting all nervous. Casual.

She browsed the display at the back, quietly picking up a bag of chips and two packs of beef jerky. Items that were small enough to fit under her coat. She never looked up as she pulled them to her, moving to duck between two aisles to get out of view of the camera.

“You plannin’ to buy that?”

She froze, recognizing that deep voice. Hell, she’d been thinking about it for the last five days. She turned slowly, taking in his wide form and his disapproving look. She frowned, trying not to look guilty.

“What’s it to ya?” she grumbled.

“This life of crime can’t be good for your health, girl,” he chuckled.

She looked sheepish, her eyes falling to the ground in contrition as he advanced towards her. He plucked her items from her hand, jerking his head towards the front of the store and signaling that she follow. “Come on.”

He took off, leaving her standing behind him wondering if he was planning to tell on her. Surely not— this was the guy who hadn’t called the cops on her when she’d broken into his house for fuck’s sake. She followed after him warily, coming up behind him at the checkout counter and watching in disbelief as he paid for his items and hers. He thanked the cashier, exiting the store with Rey in tow.

He handed them to her once outside, and she slowly took them from him as she wondered what in the hell his angle was. “Why’d you do that?”

He shrugged. “Some people just need a little help, that’s all.”

She chewed her lip, skeptical of his reasoning. No one did anything without a reason. Yet… here he was proving that theory wrong. She didn’t know what to make of Clyde. “Well… thanks.”

She turned to go, and he caught her arm gently. She glanced down at his hand wrapped around her forearm, peeking up at him with a nervous expression. Was this the part where he asked her for whatever he was after?

“That shit won’t go very far,” he pointed out. “Let me get you some real food.”

She knew she was gaping at him, taken aback once again by his odd behavior. “Why?”

“Ain’t no reason except it’s the right thing to do,” he informed her.

“What do you want, Clyde Logan? Really?” she pressed with narrowed eyes.

He gave her a shy grin, revealing deep dimples that caused her distraction. “I just want to help.”

 _Well_ , she thought, _if that just don’t beat all._

* * *

Rey could barely pause between bites to take a breath; she hadn’t eaten that good in a long time. The little diner he’d taken her to had just about everything you could think of, but her eye had caught the _all day breakfast_ promise and that was all she wrote.

When she finally looked up around her bite of pancakes, she caught Clyde watching her. Suddenly embarrassed by her gusto, she put her fork down slowly and took a sip of her sweet tea instead.

“Sorry,” she muttered apologetically. “It’s just good is all.”

He chuckled softly, stabbing his fork into his chicken fried steak and dipping it into his gravy he’d asked for on the side. _“Keeps the steak from getting soggy,”_ he’d said.

“So,” he prodded, “you want to tell me what led to your life of crime?”

She glanced away from him, fiddling with her straw and trying not to let her expression give anything away. “Didn’t have a whole lot of options when my daddy passed. I lost the house, all our savings, just about anything I couldn’t carry on my back… it just sort of happened that way.”

“You didn’t think to get you a job? They got all kinds of assistance for people in your situation,” he pointed out.

“You don’t think I tried? I went through three jobs before I got myself a reputation for a bad attitude in Madison, and I applied for every bit of help I could sign up for. I tried. You have no idea how hard I tried,” she accused.

He shook his head. “Honey, you either do, or you don’t. Ain’t no try.”

 _Honey._ The casual endearment almost caused her to blush, which was ridiculous. “That’s real easy for you to say when you’re on the outside lookin’ in.”

He nodded. “Maybe you’re right, but don’t think for a second I don’t know about hard times.”

He gave her an even stare that she met with equal determination, but relented and said no more on the subject. The topic averted and her belly now mostly full, she was finally able to focus on her would be rescuer.

“Not that I don’t appreciate it,” she started, “but I can’t figure out why you’re bein’ so nice to me.”

“Do I really need a reason?” he questioned. 

She frowned. “Nobody does anything without a reason.”

He gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m awful sorry you feel that way, but it just ain’t true.”

“I told you I wasn’t gonna mess around with you,” she affirmed.

He barked out a laugh. “And I told you I ain’t interested in no kid.”

She frowned deeper. She didn’t know why but she didn’t like it when he called her a kid. She was almost twenty after all.

“You’re an odd duck, Clyde Logan,” she muttered.

He shrugged. “Not the first time I’ve heard that one.”

She eyed his prosthesis, finding herself curious about it. “How’d you lose your arm?”

He glanced down at it, shaking his head. “Didn’t lose my arm. I’m a transradial amputee, see? Ain’t missin’ the whole arm, just lower forearm and a hand.”

“ _Okay_ ,” she pressed. “How’d you lose your lower forearm and hand then?”

“Lost it in Iraq,” he explained.

“You were a soldier?” she pressed.

He nodded. “Did two tours without incident and was on my way to the airport when a roadside mine fucked it all up.”

“That’s real unlucky,” she remarked.

“Exactly,” he agreed. “ _Exactly.”_ He leaned over the table, his voice low as he continued. “I call it a family curse.”

She couldn’t help it, his serious expression as if he were telling her some dark secret caused her to laugh. He eyed her for a second, finally breaking into a grin of his own. “You got a pretty laugh. Beats all that frowning you do.”

She sighed, pursing her lips and looking away from him. “Don’t got much to smile about these days.”

His jaw tensed in thought as he considered that. “You know when I was a kid and I got down, my mama would always have me tell her three things that would make my life a little better.”

“How does that help?” she questioned.

He shrugged. “Gives you a goal. Now, my answers usually consisted of some sort of food stuffs, but I reckon the principle is the same. Go on now, try it out.”

She huffed out a breath, thinking. “I suppose… a job is one.”

He nodded. “Alright, what else?”

She ducked her head in embarrassment, but decided to answer anyway. “A safer place to sleep.”

He frowned at that, his eyes the only thing giving his sympathy away as he urged her to continue. “One more.”

She chewed her lip, feeling emotion well in her chest before she could staunch it. Her final reply came out in a hushed whisper, tears threatening to well up in the corners of her eyes. “To have my daddy back.”

Clyde gave her a long look, studying her expression before sighing softly. “Can’t do much about that last one, but I might can help you with the other two.”

She perked up, wiping at her eye. “You can?”

He nodded. “Go on and finish your food. I got someone I want you to meet.”

* * *

A _beauty_ salon? She was certain she had no idea why Clyde would think to bring her _there_. Maybe he thought she could use a haircut. She picked up a strand of her too long hair, eyeing the slightly frayed ends and thinking he wouldn’t be wrong.

He’d asked her to wait for him in the little waiting area, promptly moving towards one of the salon chairs to talk to a young woman who didn’t look too much older than Rey herself. She was ridiculously pretty— hair perfect, makeup flawless, not a thing out of place down to her manicured nails.

The woman was arguing with Clyde, getting real close to him and poking him in his wide chest with a slim finger. Maybe it was his girlfriend? Jesus, she hoped not. Rey had twice now accused Clyde of being nice to her to try and get in her pants, and realizing now he might have had a doll like this woman waiting for him she felt downright silly.

Finally Rey watched the woman and Clyde seem to come to a standstill, her shaking her head and rolling her eyes even as she threw up her arms in what seemed to be assent. Clyde beamed at her, wrapping his thick arms around her tiny frame and pulling her in for a tight hug that she promptly tried to scramble out of. That didn’t seem like girlfriend behavior. None that Rey had ever seen at least.

Why did she even care if that was his girlfriend anyhow?

He was heading back her way then, looking pleased with himself over whatever bargain he’d struck with the pretty lady. He gestured that she come over with him, and she stood warily from her seat to follow him to the back.

The woman gave her a suspicious look, eyeing her up and down as if she might start yelling at her at any given moment. “You the little girl that tried to rob my brother?”

 _Brother._ That made a little more sense. Rey stared down at her shoes sheepishly, not knowing what to say.

“Now I told you not to mention that, Mellie,” Clyde chastised.

“Well, she’s big enough to try and steal from folks— she oughta be big enough to own up to it,” the woman— or rather _Mellie_ groused.

Rey steeled herself, looking up to meet the woman’s eyes and refusing to back down. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“You gonna steal from the shop if I give you a job?” she pressed.

Rey looked around at the tiny salon, grimacing slightly. “ _Here?”_

“Oh well excuse me,” Mellie scoffed. “Didn’t know you had people linin’ up to give you a job.”

Rey frowned. She had a point there. “I don’t know nothin’ about hair.”

Mellie clicked her tongue. “And I wouldn’t let you nowhere near it. You’ll be sweepin’ up the trimmings, taking payment, maybe the occasional wash if you can prove you won’t muck it up.”

Rey fought the urge to say something spiteful in retort, knowing that’s what always got her in trouble and she recognized that Clyde and his sister were really going out on a limb for her. She nodded slowly, trying not to frown. “I can do that.”

“That ain’t all,” Clyde grinned.

Mellie shot him a peeved look, huffing out a sigh. Turning back to Rey, she narrowed her eyes. “Now, if I let you take my guest bedroom, you gonna try to rob me?”

Rey’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’d let me stay with you?”

“Maybe,” Mellie all but grumbled. “If I can be sure you ain’t gonna run off with something I’m partial to.”

Rey shook her head frantically. “No, ma’am.”

Mellie wrinkled her nose. “Don’t be callin’ me ma’am. I ain’t that much older than you I don’t think.”

Rey nodded, resisting the urge to say _yes ma’am_. “I promise, I wouldn’t steal anything.”

“You’d better not,” Mellie warned. “The cops would be a blessing after I got through with you.”

Rey gulped, the tiny thing of a woman suddenly scaring the shit out of her. Mellie didn’t seem like the type you wanted to mess with. Clyde clapped his hands together then, seeming pleased with himself.

“Great. It’s all settled,” he announced proudly. “I gotta head in to the bar. You alright to hang out here with Mel? I’ll check on y’all later after work.”

Rey nodded, suddenly nervous to be left alone with the fearsome female that was his sister. He gave her a reassuring grin in answer, and she noticed again the dimples that lined his face when he did so. She found she liked it when he smiled; it made his gruff appearance seem softer somehow, more approachable.

He leaned to give his sister a kiss on her cheek, muttering a thank you. She waved him off, the pair of them watching him go before Mellie turned on her. “Now listen here,” she started. “My brother has always been the type to bring home strays— that man’s gotta heart you couldn’t carry in a ten gallon bucket.”

She frowned then, giving Rey a stern look. “Don’t make me regret helping you,” she warned, “and don’t you dare do anything to hurt Clyde.”

“It ain’t like that,“ Rey assured her.

Mellie gave her a skeptical look, finally shaking her head. “Yeah, we’ll see,” she muttered. “Guess you can sweep the floors if you want to, might as well go ahead and get you started. You got any stuff?”

“Shit,” Rey groused. “I left my backpack in Clyde’s truck.”

Mellie shrugged. “I’ll tell him to bring it with him after he gets off. Don’t worry about it.”

Rey nodded, trying not to. Everything she owned was in that damned backpack, so it was hard not to be a little anxious when it was missing. She picked up the broom Mellie gestured to in the corner, setting about cleaning the floor as Mellie went and grabbed her next client from the waiting room.

She kept to herself mostly after that, doing the odd jobs Mellie asked her to do as she waited for her to finish her day. It was odd, working in a salon, Rey had never dreamed she’d wind up at a place like this but she couldn’t help but feel grateful. She thought back to Clyde and his eagerness to help her, seeming to actually want nothing in return and that alone left her confused.

She didn’t know people like Clyde and Mellie still existed out there. She couldn’t stop thinking about that easy grin of his, those dimples causing her more distraction than she’d have liked. She didn’t know what it was about the Logan’s, but for the first time in a long time she found her smile was easy too.


	3. Knee High To A Grasshopper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn’t resist the opportunity to post a _Blame It On Midnight_ at midnight (my time)! Happy New Year my fellow Reylos! May your 2019 be blessed with Bendemption and canon full-on-the-mouth Reylo kisses! ❤️

 

* * *

 “...and then I told him, I says, ‘ _You wouldn’t know a carburetor if it jumped out from under the hood and bit you on the ass!’”_

Clyde shook his head at the boisterous tales of his friend, Earl— probably in one drink too many and he knew he should probably start serving him water instead. You could usually find Earl at Duct Tape on Saturday nights, retelling his favorite anecdotes from the garage to whichever unsuspecting victim happened to sit down by him that night.

He shook his head as he moved away from Earl’s tall tales, stooping to reach under the bar for a clean glass. He rose to the creaking of the front door, swinging wide and he frowned when he caught sight of a familiar face.

“Now is that any way to greet your favorite brother?” he laughed as he sauntered across the bar to seat himself on one of the stools.

“I reckon it is when your brother shows up unannounced and you got a good guess as to why,” Clyde groaned.

Jimmy smirked. “Mellie _might_ have gave me a ring earlier today.”

“Damnit Mellie,” he scowled. “I done told her to keep her fat mouth shut.”

“Ain’t no secrets between siblings little brother,” Jimmy grinned.

“Apparently not,” Clyde grumbled.

“So you wanna tell me about your little thief?”  

“Ain’t nothin’ to tell,” Clyde replied flippantly. “She didn’t steal anything.”

“Except your heart?” Jimmy teased, leaning over the bar and batting his eyelashes dramatically.

Clyde rolled his eyes. “Don’t even start. She ain’t knee high to a grasshopper.”

“Mellie says she’s fixin’ to be twenty,” Jimmy pointed out.

“Yeah and I’m thirty-two,” Clyde countered.

“Don’t mean nothin’ less you want it to,” Jimmy snorted. “Is she pretty?”

Clyde frowned, pressing his lips together tightly. Jimmy barked out a laugh at his expression, shaking his head. “I _knew_ it. Look at you blushin’!”

“Ain’t blushin’,” Clyde muttered.

“I need to meet her.”

“Like hell you will,” Clyde argues. “She’s got enough goin’ on in her life without you givin’ her all sorts of shit.”

“I can be sweet,” Jimmy retorted innocently.

Clyde scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Sweet as Tabasco.”

“How cute are you bein’ all protective?”

“Listen, don’t make nothin’ of it. I just feel for the girl is all,” Clyde clarified.

Jimmy gave him a knowing smirk, nodding. “Alright, if you say so. You gonna make me a drink or what?”

Clyde shook his head, holding the glass he’d gathered under the tap and pouring Jimmy a beer. He slid it across the bar, Jimmy tilting it to him appreciatively before taking a sip.

“So, plans tonight?” 

Clyde shrugged one arm. “I gotta swing by Mellie’s after work, Rey left her bag in my truck.”

Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “Did she now?”

Clyde shot him a disapproving look, Jimmy setting down his beer to raise his hands in defense. “I didn’t say nothin’.”

“Yeah,” Clyde groused. “Best keep it that way.”

“Whatever you say little brother,” Jimmy grinned. “Whatever you say.”

* * *

He had half a mind to just drop the damned thing on Mellie’s doorstep. He eyed the charcoal pack that lay innocently in his passenger seat, glancing at it for what had to have been been the fifth time since he left the bar. He wondered again what she kept inside it, but refused to let himself peek. More than likely it was nothing more than her clothes and woman things, and that weren’t any of his business anyhow.

He’d thought about her more times than he cared to admit, worried over how she’d fared in Mellie’s care. Mellie could be right ornery when she wanted to be, and Rey seemed downright skittish for the most part. He’d warned Mellie to play nice, and he could only hope she’d heeded him.

He putted into the drive at Mellie’s, throwing his truck into park and climbing out with the bag in hand. He spotted her car, the porch lights blaring and he strode up the walk to knock on the door. He heard Mellie hollering across the house, her voice carrying to the door as he heard footsteps shuffling across her floor towards it.

It swung open to reveal not his sister, but Rey. She’d lost the worn clothes she’d been wearing, instead dressed in one of Mellie’s sweaters and some tight fitted pants Mellie insisted were for yoga even though he’d never seen her anywhere near a damned yoga studio. He tried not to let his eyes linger on the black fabric stretched over her legs, instead focusing on her face.

Wasn’t much better really.

Then he couldn’t stop counting the freckles across her cheeks, or noticing the way her eyes seemed to change colors in the porch light. Damn it, just what color _were_ they?

“Oh,” she greeted nervously. “Hey.”

He nodded. “Doin’ alright?”

She shrugged. “Mellie taught me how to use the big hair dryer machine at the shop today.”

He grinned. “Look at you, day one on the job and already takin’ over.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah I’ll own the joint before you know it.”

He laughed at her grumbling tone, lifting the bag to offer it to her. “Brought your bag.”

She took it, giving him a grateful expression. “Thank you, Clyde. Everything I got left is in this bag.”

“Well,” he started, flashing her a smile. “I _did_ have half a mind to steal it…”

Her smile was slow, her pursed lips trembling at the corners before tilting up in defeat. “You think you’re awful funny.”

Mellie came trodding over then, leaning on the door frame. “Now I _know_ you’re sheltered. Clyde’s about as funny as a heart attack.” She winked at Clyde, who could only roll his eyes in response. She nodded her head towards her living room. “You wanna come in? I’m about to teach Rey a thing or two about television. Girl ain’t never seen Sixteen Candles.”

Clyde grimaced. “Probably because she’s got good taste.”

“Clyde Logan I will tan your hide if you start bad mouthin’ my favorite movie,” she warned.

He frowned, less than tempted to have to sit through that drivel but Mellie grinned conspiratorially. “I made breakfast for dinner. Burned the bacon just how you like.”

Damn it. How was he to say no to that? “Alright, maybe I could come in for a minute…”

Mellie shook her head, giving Rey a knowing look. “Way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, Rey. Remember that.”

She pushed off the door then, waltzing back through the house and leaving the two of them still standing in the doorway. Rey stood quietly, chewing on her lip as if she didn’t know what to say. He kept just as quiet, finding himself of a similar mind.

“Y’all stop moonin’ at each other and get in here. You’re lettin’ out all the heat!” Mellie chided from the kitchen.

Clyde sighed, giving Rey an apologetic look before pushing passed her to let her close the door behind him. “I’d better apologize in advance for Mellie,” he offered. “She can be a handful.”

Rey gave him a sheepish smile. “I think she’s great.”

He glanced towards the kitchen, keeping an eye out for the sister in question before leaning towards Rey as if telling her a secret. “Actually, I do too, but don’t tell her that.”

Her grin widened, lighting up her face and he felt an odd tightening in his chest. She really _was_ a pretty little thing. He cleared his throat, looking away and reminding himself of all the reasons why feelings like that were inappropriate.

“Food’s done!” Mellie called, thankfully interrupting the awkward silence that had settled.

He nodded towards the kitchen, gesturing that Rey follow. “Come on, then. She might be a handful but she cooks a mean breakfast.”

* * *

He’d never understand this movie. First of all, the girl was what, fifteen? Then here this Jake fella comes looking like he’s thirty and sweeping her off her feet. It bugged him, always had really, but more so now because it felt a little too close to home.

Mellie had nodded off somewhere along the lines of Farmer Ted (Lord, he hated that he’d been forced through this movie enough to know their names) asking for Mollie Ringwald’s panties, falling victim once again to her favorite late night indulgence. She lay between he and Rey on the couch, her head perched on Rey’s shoulder and her feet jumbled under Clyde’s legs.

He couldn’t pretend he hadn’t glanced across the couch a few times during the course of the movie, watching as Rey’s attention was focused on the screen. He’d been sneaking a look at her in that moment when he noticed her glancing down at a now sleeping Mellie, then over at him to meet his gaze.

“Well, she's out,” Rey laughed quietly.

Clyde shook his head. “She loves that boxed wine but it don’t seem to love her.”

Rey wrinkled her nose then, nodding towards the TV. “Can we turn this off then? It isn’t very good.”

Clyde didn’t know why his heart rate picked up, but he had to bite back the mother of all grins when he heard Rey utter those words. She gave Mellie a wary glance, looking up at him grimly. “Please don’t tell her I said that.”

He couldn’t help it, he barked out a laugh, quickly covering his mouth to staunch the sound. “Nice to know I’m not alone, it’s never blown my skirt up.”

“No,” she grimaced. “You’re not alone.”

He continued to chuckle oddly. “Yeah, well, neither are you. Bunch of bunk if you ask me.”

He blew out a breath, pushing Mellie’s feet out from under him and reaching to pull her off of Rey. He gave Rey a pointed look, nodding down at a sleeping Mellie. “Best get our little drunk here to bed. She gets awful cranky when she sleeps out on the couch.”

He gathered her up, pulling her to him and carrying her down the hall to tuck her into bed. She grumbled incoherently as he pulled the covers over her, and he shook his head as he turned off her lamp. Making his way back to the living room, he found Rey sitting in a now mostly dark room, wrapped in a blanket.

“I guess I’m gonna head out,” Clyde informed her.

She nodded, pulling one of the throw pillows from the floor where Mellie had thrown it and fluffing it at the arm of the couch as if settling in for the night.

Clyde cocked his head in confusion. “Didn’t Mellie set up the guest bedroom for you?”

She nodded, biting her lip. “Yeah… but I’ll be fine out here.”

He frowned. “I can promise you that bed will be a whole hell of a lot more comfortable than that old couch.”

She looked away from him, rubbing at her arm idly. “To tell you the truth… I haven’t had a steady bed for a long time. It makes me nervous.”

“What for?” 

She errantly pulled at a thread at the edge of the throw she had draped around her, still unable to look at him. “Everything good in my life… well… it seems to get taken away. Ain’t no use in getting too wrapped up in anything.”

He felt some sensation around his heart like a clock too tightly wound, a deep pull in his chest that made breathing a little more difficult. She was too damned young to be this sad. Sad came after a lifetime of things seen that you wished you hadn’t. Or at least that’s what he’d always thought. He guessed if anything he was learning now that sad came at all walks of life. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that sad wasn’t for her. She deserved more than what she’d been given.

“Listen,” he started, cautious of how he should proceed. “I know you don’t know me from Adam, and I know you don’t got any reason to believe me when I say this but… things are gonna get better, Rey. I promise they are. Even if I have to make sure of it myself.”

She eyed him heavily, her brow furrowed and her expression even. He wished in that moment he knew what she was thinking, and he was half kicking himself for probably coming across as a creep.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “That was weird.”

She shook her head, still eyeing him as if trying to puzzle him out. “No, it wasn’t. I really appreciate it, Clyde. I appreciate _everything_ you’ve done. You’re a good friend, and I… well, I’m awful sorry I tried to steal from you. It was wrong.”

He felt an urge to frown, willing his expression into a passive one even as he felt a twinge of agitation at her choice of the only word he was hung up on. _Friend_. A perfectly innocent word, and yet he felt irritated. He couldn’t for the life of him determine why. He nodded back at her, mentally chastising himself for being so ridiculous.

“Water under the bridge,” he said finally. “Goodnight, Rey.”

She gave him a smile finally, returning his nod. “Goodnight, Clyde. I think I’ll take that bed after all.”

He swallowed thickly, watching as she stood to cross the living room and pad down the hall. He willed himself not to stare at those God forsaken coverings Mellie called pants, instead standing at the door until he heard the soft click of the guest bedroom door just down the hall. He blew out a breath, running a hand through his hair and turning to leave.

He used his key to lock Mellie’s door behind him, stomping down the drive and getting into his truck with more aggression than he’d intended. Just what the hell was wrong with him? He’d been on edge all day, and he couldn’t put a finger as to _why._ It was driving him crazy.

He figured more accurately he was just afraid to put it into words, knowing the source of his agitation more than likely had too many freckles and either blue or  green eyes.

 _Too young,_ he reminded himself. _Not for you._

The drive home consisted of a too tight grip on his steering wheel and a too heavy foot on his gas pedal. He lurched into his own driveway in far less time than it would have normally taken him, making a beeline for his house and never slowing till he was pulling a beer from his fridge.

He folded himself onto his couch, trying not to think about how she’d slept there less than a week ago and taking a long sip from the amber bottle in his good hand. He was just thankful she was good and settled now, and he knew Mellie would take care of her. Mellie might have the bark of a pissed off coon, but she had a heart bigger than anyone he knew. Once she’d decided to take Rey under her wing, whether Rey knew it or not, she was Mellie’s people. The thought put him at ease.

Best course of action now would more than likely be to get some distance. Whatever this spark of attraction was that he felt for Rey, he knew he had to nip it in the bud before it had time to root too deep. The last thing Rey Kenobi needed in her life was some wounded man over ten years her senior pining after her.

He glanced down at his prosthesis, scowling. Hell, he was only half a man now anyhow. What could he offer her? He thought back to that moment in the dark— when he’d asked her if he’d looked like a cripple. She’d told him no then. Sure, he’d practically hog tied her with his belt, but he didn’t see any lie in her eyes. There was that at least.

Since then she’d never once let her gaze linger on the dark metal of the prosthesis— never staring or averting her eyes as if uncomfortable. If he had nothing else he at least had that thought to ease his mind.

It didn’t matter though. Didn’t matter how she looked at him or how much he thought about her. She wasn’t for him. _Distance_. He assured himself. Distance would put everything back in order. He’d promised her life would be better and he knew deep down this was the best thing for her.

Even if it wasn’t the best thing for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _knee high to a grasshopper_ \- very young 
> 
> _Sweet as Tabasco_ \- I feel like this is straight forward? But, Tabasco is not sweet. Lmao.
> 
>  _tan your hide_ \- more or less whoop your ass 
> 
> _moonin’ at each other_ \- making goo goo eyes
> 
> _blown my skirt up_ \- if something blows your skirt up you like it basically 
> 
> _bunch of bunk_ \- it’s trash nonsense


	4. Age Ain’t Anything But A Number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sweet, southern Clyde for your Sunday! ❤️

* * *

 

When times are bad, days feel like the slow trickle of sap on a Sycamore tree. They creep by with a slowness that leaves you wondering if they’ll ever get to where they’re going. That’s how Rey’s life had felt for a long time. Every morning she’d woken up not knowing how she’d get by, or even if she wanted to.

She’d never expected anything to change, and she’d never hoped for some sort of salvation. Yet… she’d seemed to find a little of both in the Logans.

That last week with Mellie had been the best she’d had since her daddy had died. Hell, maybe ever. She’d learned quickly that Mellie was a lot like this old junkyard dog she used to pass by on the way home from school. She remembered the first time she saw ole Bear— he’d rushed the chain link with a gruff bark that had her damned near ready to jump out of her skin.

Then he’d stilled, sensing she was no threat and giving a little whimper. Tentatively she’d reached through the metal gaps to scratch at his nose, and he’d licked her hand as he nuzzled into it. She realized then he was just following his first instincts, and that once he realized she didn’t mean him any harm he’d warmed right up. She visited Bear a lot, and it was him that had gotten her mixed in with the wrong sorts inadvertently… but that was another story altogether.

Much like Bear, Mellie had warmed to her it seemed, and she was more than grateful for the fact. This week hadn’t trickled by— it had _flown._ Every day was new and exciting; every moment made her feel safer, _warmer,_ more at peace. It almost terrified her, having not felt things like that in such a long time that she was unsure of how to handle them.

“Hey, Rey,” Mellie called from across the shop, distracting her from her sweeping and her musings.

Rey looked up, giving her a look of question as Mellie hung up the phone call she’d just been on. “You can drive, right?”

Rey nodded. “Been awhile, but I have my license.”

“Perfect, I need a favor.”

* * *

Rey parked Mellie’s car outside of the bar, fingers still tight at the steering wheel as she glanced over to the paper bag in the front seat.

“ _Clyde forgot his lunch at home but I’m tied up here… can you run something over to him?”_

She hadn’t seen Clyde once that week. It was as if since that night at Mellie’s he’d done his best to steer clear of her. For the life of her she couldn’t figure out why; she’d thought he’d liked her. She’d thought he was her friend.

She frowned at the word. It didn’t sound right. She owed everything to Clyde. He’d seen her when no one else had. He’d _understood_ her— but what word would you put to something like that? _Friend_ didn’t seem adequate. Especially given that she was so jittery now. She was _nervous_ to see him again.

She stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind her with the brown bag clutched in her arms. She’d stopped by the same diner Clyde had taken her to, simply telling the elderly waitress she needed “the Clyde” as Mellie had instructed. She’d been curious as to what she’d been given, but it had been wrapped in foil and she hadn’t wanted to unwrap it. It smelled good, whatever it was.

She climbed the short stack of wooden steps to the porch, standing nervously outside the door for a moment. She was technically too young to go in, but surely Clyde wouldn’t throw her out… right?

“You just gonna stand there?”

She turned to see a grizzled looking man slung into a chair on the other side of her, dressed in a zippered jumpsuit covered in what looked to be patches of motor oil. The patch at his chest read _Earl,_  and he puffed on a cigarette as he eyed her.

She clutched the bag a little tighter. “Um, Mellie asked me to bring Clyde lunch but… I’m not twenty-one. I don’t want to get in trouble.”

Earl took a drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke blow from his nose. “Clyde tries to kick out a pretty little thing like you, I’ll kick his ass for you darlin’.”

She grinned, Earl’s serious expression with his kind words making her want to laugh. “Well, that makes me feel better.”

He chuckled. “Go on in, honey. Clyde ain’t nothin’ but a big teddy bear. He won’t do anything more than ask you real polite.”

She nodded, giving him a final grin before pulling open the door to step inside. It was pretty sparse in the bar, and she suspected it had a lot to do with the early hour. She imagined bars weren’t exactly hopping at nearly one in the afternoon.

She spotted Clyde, his back to her as he sat at the bar top with a book in his hand. She took a moment to study him, the dark grey of his button-down covering him entirely, save for where he’d rolled it above the prosthesis on one arm. She let her eyes linger at it, having been too afraid to really examine it for fear of him thinking she thought less of him for it.

She didn’t really— it didn’t seem to slow him down any, and if anything it just made him a little more interesting. She wanted to know how the arm worked; she’d always been interested in the mechanical types. He must have realized whoever had come in through his door had never greeted him, because he turned then to look at her.

He stilled when he noticed her, his expression one she couldn’t read. Feeling a little awkward, she finally held up the bag in offering, giving him a shy smile. He glanced at the bag, frowning. He slid from the stool he’d been sitting on, moving to the end of the bar closer to her and waving her over. She approached to sit the bag on the bartop, and he opened it to inhale deeply.

“I thought Mellie was coming?”

Rey shrugged. “She said she was held up.”

“Did she now.”

Rey felt a twinge of something that felt oddly like disappointment, his obvious discomfort with her coming instead of Mellie wounding her slightly. What had changed that had caused him to not want to be around her?

“Sorry,” she offered lamely. “Didn’t mean to intrude.”

His frown deepened. “That ain’t it, I’m not mad you’re here.”

“Sure look it,” she grumbled.

“Rey, I—” He blew out a frustrated breath, shaking his head as he looked away from her. “That ain’t it.”

He glanced back to her then, eyes moving between her and the paper bag. “You eat yet?”

Rey shook her head. “I was supposed to, but I lost track of time.”

He gestured to the barstool beside her. “Sit. I’ll share with you.”

She did as instructed, just grateful he wasn’t kicking her out right away. She’d actually missed seeing him that week, something that had come to her as a bit of a surprise. He pulled out his lunch, unwrapping what might have been the biggest sandwich she’d ever seen.

“What _is_ that?”

He laughed. “Maz just calls it the Clyde.”

“Looks sorta like a BLT to me.”

“No, _no,”_ he huffed. “Ain’t no lettuce or tomato on this.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “So… it’s just a B then.”

He nodded proudly. “With a whole lot of B.”

She laughed. “That sounds like a kid’s sandwich. Lettuce and tomato are good for you.”

“If the good Lord wanted me to be a rabbit, he’d have given me a fluffy tail,” Clyde groused.

She snorted, covering her mouth to hide the sound and he grinned at her. “You want some of this or not?”

“Yeah,” she answered. “I’ll take some of the Clyde.”

She realized too late what she’d said, a blush creeping over her cheeks that almost matched the one at Clyde’s ears as he cleared his throat. To his credit, he didn’t comment, only reached to tear off a large portion of his sandwich and offer it to her with a napkin from under the bar. She took it gratefully, taking a bite to combat the awkward silence.

She hummed in appreciation when it hit her tongue, some sort of spicy mustard coating the meat she’d never tried before. “This is really good.”

He nodded around his own bite, giving her an _I-told-you-so_ look. “Rabbit food didn’t ever make anyone as happy as this.”

The phone trilled on the wall behind them then, and Clyde reached to answer as he swallowed the bite he’d been chewing. “Duct tape.”

He frowned as someone answered. “Is that so.”

A roll of his eyes. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re pulling here.” He paused for a second as whoever was on the other line spoke, blowing out a breath and cutting his eyes to Rey nervously before answering. “I ain’t avoiding anyone. I’ve just been busy.” Another frown. “Fine, I’ll tell her.”

He hung up the phone, shaking his head at it before turning to Rey. “Mel’s got errands to run. She’s gonna close up shop for a bit and wants you to hang out here. She says she’ll call when she’s ready for you to come pick her up.”

Rey bit her lip. He hadn’t seemed happy to receive the news that she would be hanging around for awhile, and she again wondered what she’d done to make him not want to see her. “I don’t have to… if I’m in the way or something I could always go back to Mel’s for awhile.”

He sighed. “It ain’t that. I promise you. Just eat up.”

She took another bite, chewing slowly as an awkward silence stretched between them. She didn’t know what had changed between her and Clyde, but she couldn’t help the deep want she felt to fix it somehow. She didn’t like the odd aura he put off now, as if being around her put him on edge.

Someone hollered at him from across the bar, and he sat down his own food to shuffle over to them. She watched him surreptitiously as he leaned over the bar, his long body filling the space and his head almost coming up to the ceiling. He was just so _big—_ tall and broad and demanding whatever space he occupied.

She didn’t see how anyone could focus on his arm with the rest of him demanding attention.

She heard the door creak open behind her, and she turned her head to watch a man she didn’t recognize enter. His dark hair was slung under an old ball cap, dressed in worn jeans and a Carhartt coat over his thermal shirt. He gave her a curious look as he shrugged out of his coat, draping it over the end of the bar before sidling over to sit next to her.

“Well how are you doin’ this afternoon little lady?”

She fidgeted, not used to attention and she shrugged softly. “Doing alright I figure.”

Clyde had turned then, a deep frown set on his face as he quickly shuffled back to where she sat. “Jimmy,” he started lowly. “What’re you doing here?”

Jimmy placed a hand over his heart, a look of faux hurt painting his features. “Well I declare little brother, is that any way to greet family?”

Rey turned to him in interest then. “You’re Clyde’s brother?”

He rested his chin on his fist, grinning at her. “Jimmy Logan is the name, ma’am. You must be Rey I reckon.”

She nodded. “Mellie mentioned there was another Logan.”

“The best one,” he teased.

She laughed at his playful attitude, covering her mouth with her hand. “You seem awful sure of yourself.”

He shrugged. “When you know, you know.”

Clyde’s jaw was tense during the entire exchange, watching as they chatted but not adding to the conversation. Jimmy turned to him then, a saccharine smile plastered at his mouth. “Well Clyde, you going to fix me a beer?”

“It ain’t even two,” Clyde chastised.

“It’s five o’clock somewhere. Plus, I wanna get to know our new friend here.”

Clyde still looked irritated as he stalked off, leaving Rey wondering why he was so aggravated. Jimmy shook his head in the direction Clyde had moved, turning to give Rey a knowing look. “Don’t mind him, he’s just been all in knots lately.”

“I hope it’s nothing I did,” Rey mourned.

Jimmy barked out a laugh. “Don’t that beat all. That ain’t it.”

She frowned. “I’ve been hearing that a lot lately…”

“So tell me all about Rey,” he pressed. “Heard you was ole Ben’s kid?”

She took a bite of her dwindling sandwich portion, pushing down the twinge of hurt that bloomed in her chest. Chewing slowly, she simply nodded back.

Jimmy blew out a breath. “Damn girl, I’m real sorry. I had no idea he passed. He was an ornery old bastard, but a good guy.”

“Yeah,” she agreed quietly. “I miss him.”

“It don’t ever go away,” Jimmy sighed. “But it does get a little more bearable. Just takes time.”

Clyde returned then, setting an amber bottle down on a napkin in front of his brother and leaning back against the corner of the bar. “So what’s Sylvia doin’?

“You are more riled up than a mama coon, brother,” Jimmy laughed. “I haven’t forgot who I belong to.”

Clyde pursed his lips. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Just wonderin’ is all.”

Jimmy took a sip from the bottle, grinning back at his brother. “Mhm. Sylvia is doin’ just fine. Saving lives and all that.”

“Y’all still lookin’ at houses?” Clyde wondered.

Jimmy rolled his eyes. “If that woman can ever make up her damn mind. If I hear one more word about _open concept_ I might just put myself out to pasture.”

Clyde grinned then, finally looking a little more at ease and making Rey relax as well. She didn’t know what had him so on edge, but she was happy to see him a little less keyed up.

“Growing up ain’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Clyde teased.

“You implying I’m not grown up?” Jimmy laughed.

“Maybe _now...”_ Clyde chuckled.

Jimmy looked to Rey with a sigh. “You see how he treats me? Oldest of them all and they act like I’m nothin’ but a kid.”

She smiled good-naturedly, finishing off the last of her sandwich and giving Clyde an appreciative look. “Thanks for that.”

He waved her off, seeming to remember his own food then and digging back in. “Don’t mention it.”

It grew quiet, Clyde focused on eating and Rey not knowing what to say; all the while Jimmy watched them looking tickled to death. Finally unable to keep quiet, Jimmy drummed his fingers along the bartop, focusing his attention on her once more.

“So, Rey,” he started. “You even old enough to be in here?”

She ducked her head sheepishly. “Not exactly.”

“I reckon I won’t call the law on you or anything,” he teased. “Mel said you’re nineteen?”

“Almost twenty,” she huffed.

“Almost twenty,” he echoed, perking up. “That’s not so young. Hell, you’re already an adult.”

“Jimmy,” Clyde warned.

Jimmy shushed him. “I’m still trying to get to know our new friend.”  He turned back to her. “That mean you got a birthday coming up?”

She nodded. “December 16th.”

“Well that ain’t hardly two weeks away,” he confirmed. “We’ll have to have us a little get together.”

She shook her head. “Oh no, y’all have done more than enough for me.”

He huffed. “Nonsense. You’re practically a Logan now, with Mellie adoptin’ you and all. Until it’s more official that is.”

She looked at him curiously. “More official?”

“Jimmy, I swear,” Clyde groused.

Jimmy only raised his hands in surrender, laughing softly. “I’m just teasin’ Rey don’t mind me.”

Not quite sure what she was missing, she merely shrugged. She asked Clyde for some water then, her food not quite wanting to wash down, and he quickly moved to oblige. Jimmy watched him go, quickly ducking close to her to take advantage of his absence.

“So, Rey,” he began quietly. “Whadya think of my brother?”

“Clyde?”

He nodded, and Rey let her gaze once again fall on the quiet giant that had turned her life around without ever being asked. “I don’t know what you mean.”

He grinned knowingly. “Don’t you?”

She blushed, unsure how to answer as she was unsure of what the answer _was._ She was grateful to him, sure. She liked looking at him, definitely. Beyond that… she just wasn’t sure.

“He just sees me as a kid,” she said finally, recognizing all at once just how much that truth bothered her.

“Well he _is_ a good bit older than you,” Jimmy pointed out. “How do you feel about that?”

She glanced to where he stood at the sink, settling a glass he’d just added ice to under the stream to fill it for her. Her gaze lingered on the slope of his jaw, moving over the fullness of his mouth and even brushing along the disconnected pattern of beauty marks that dotted his face. She didn’t know what it meant, but she sure didn’t think about how much older he was when she looked at him. Not even for a minute.

“I’m thinking age ain’t anything but a number,” she replied quietly.

Jimmy beamed, nodding appreciatively and pulling away to settle back onto his stool before Clyde returned with her water. “I think I like you, Rey.”

She grinned conspiratorially, schooling her features as Clyde came back to set a glass in front of her.

“What are y’all talking about?”

“I’m just giving Rey some pointers to help with her life of crime,” Jimmy said matter-of-factly.

Rey laughed even as Clyde let out a groan. “Rey, don’t listen to anything my brother says. Ever.”

Jimmy immediately went on the defensive, grumbling as he and Clyde fell into a playful argument. Rey watched contently, envious of their bond and simply grateful to be proxy to it. She thought again on what she and Jimmy had discussed, her eyes stealthily moving over Clyde’s face in appreciation and thinking that maybe… Jimmy knew a lot more than people gave him credit for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _sap on a Sycamore tree_ \- I don’t know where these are all indigenous to, but in the Spring the Sycamores start leaking sap. I used to like pick at it when I was a kid. It’s supposed to make a butterscotch flavor but I ain’t ever tried it. 😂
> 
>  _more riled up than a mama coon_ \- funny story, my Poppa worked for the forestry service for like twenty years till he retired a while back and one time he stumbled about a mama coon and her babies and that thing hissed and spit harder than a cobra. Mean ass things when they’re mad.
> 
>  _put myself out to pasture_ \- put out to pasture basically means retire 
> 
> _ain’t all it’s cracked up to be_ \- this might be self explanatory? But it basically means not as good as it seems.


	5. A Damned Deer In Headlights

* * *

The old door to the bar creaked open, that familiar squeaking of hinges that came from too much neglect and a lack of want to tend to it. Clyde was prepared for her this time, seeing as she’d taken to bringing him lunch more than a few times this last week, some unspoken agreement that had cropped up after that first time Mellie had sent her.

She seemed to smile a lot more now, and he almost found himself believing that she smiled just a little brighter when he was around. That was probably just wishful thinking though.

She plopped down at the bar, wrapped up tight in a plush red sweater of Mellie’s. She looked like a damn Christmas present with her hair done up in a messy bun and topped with some sort silver hair tie. She grinned up at him, shaking the brown bag in delight and sitting it down on the bar top.

“Guess what?” she asked.

He gave an amused smirk. “What?”

“Bought this all on my own,” she informed him proudly. “This lunch is on me.”

He frowned. “Don’t need to be spendin’ your earnings on me.”

She waved him off, opening the paper sack and pulling out a familiarly wrapped sandwich. She pulled out another, spreading it out in front of her and beaming up at him. “Even got my very own Clyde all for myself.”

He had to suppress the urge to groan, her choice of words doing awful things to his insides. Thank the good Lord Jimmy wasn’t around. He nodded finally, grabbing for his food and smiling at her. “Well, thank you.”

She shrugged. “Least I can do considering.”

He shook his head, a shy smile at his mouth as he tore into his food. “Mellie tell you about this afternoon I reckon?”

She nodded eagerly. “We’re going after a Christmas tree! A real one too.”

He couldn’t help but grin at her enthusiasm, her looking younger than her years. It both frustrated and delighted him. She bit her lip then, looking at him expectantly. “Are you comin’?”

Lord help him, he knew he shouldn’t. He’d told himself he’d put distance between them. He’d told himself that everytime she left. Yet, everytime, he found himself right back there with her, unable to push her away. She caught him like a damned deer in headlights.

He gave her a nod finally, chewing his bite and swallowing. “Mellie for sure ain’t draggin’ no tree out of there.”

Rey giggled prettily, the sound damned near like music and almost causing Clyde to flush. Did she have to be so _pretty?_ It made all his good intentions moot.

“I don’t know,” she mused. “Mellie surprises me an awful lot.”

Clyde considered. “You know, actually… if any little woman were gonna throw a tree over her back it would be Mel.”

“We could ride together, if you want to,” she offered quietly. “Pick up Mel on the way?”

 _Bad idea,_ his brain screamed. _But it’s only a ten minute drive to Mel’s,_ a much larger part shouted. _What could happen in ten minutes?_

He could lose his damn mind, that’s what.

“Sure,” he agreed, already knowing it was a bad idea.

* * *

One of these days he’d start listening to that more sensible part of his brain. The drive to the shop was a quiet one, Rey content to watch the scenery pass them by from the passenger window. He wanted to get her talking, if for no other reason than to just hear her voice, but didn’t know what to say. Instead, an awkward silence descended, neither of them having any conversation to add.

“So, what—“

“How does that—”

They had spoke at the same time, both falling quiet with apologies and urging the other to speak.

“Go ahead,” Rey offered.

Clyde shook his head. “No, what were you gonna say?”

“Well,” she started. “I was just gonna ask how that works.”

She gestured to his arm, eyeing it not with pity he noticed but curiosity. He found it didn’t make him uncomfortable, in fact it delighted him that she wondered about it.

He held up the arm in question, nodding towards the socket where the prosthesis were connected. “See this here socket?”

She nodded, eyeing it curiously and he continued. “Got a ton of sensors in there connected to the muscles I got left. It’s like when I work those muscles with the intent to do something, the arm picks up on that, and does what I want it to do. Well… most of the time that is.”

Her face pinched in thought. “That’s awful fancy.”

“Too fancy if you ask me,” he groused. “Sometimes I miss my old plastic one.”

“It reminds me of that old movie… you know, the one where the guy lost all his arms and legs and they made him into a robot.”

Clyde barked out a laugh. “First of all, _Robocop_ ain’t that old of a movie. Second of all, I just _wish_ I were that cool.”

“I think you’re cool,” she offered shyly.

He swallowed thickly, not knowing what to say to that. _Nineteen,_ he reminded himself. _She don’t mean nothing by it._

“That’s just because you don’t know me too well yet,” he replied finally.

“That’s true,” she agreed quietly. “I’d like to though.”

He glanced across the cab at her, his mouth slightly agape but she only met his gaze evenly, not backing down. He was so caught up in it he nearly missed the turn into Mel’s shop, veering at the last second for a rough entry. He slammed into the parking space with far more force than intended, Rey jolting a little as the truck stilled.

“I’m sorry,” he huffed. “You alright?”

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

The door to the truck pulled open before he could say anything else, Mellie standing outside of it and waving Rey over. Clyde’s eyes widened as Rey scooted to the center of the cab, her legs pressed against his as Mellie took the seat Rey had just been occupying. He hadn’t thought this through at _all._

She was so close he could smell the rose scent of her shampoo, resisting the urge to lean over and breathe it in. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, willing himself to get a grip.

“It’s colder than a witch’s titty out there,” Mellie grumbled.

“Real ladylike, Mel,” Clyde chuckled, grateful for the distraction from Rey’s warmth pressed against him.

“Shut up. Y’all ready to find a tree?”

Rey beamed back at her, her excitement barely contained. “I haven’t had a Christmas tree since I was nine. Even then it was just this little scraggly thing daddy got at the supermarket for the table.”

“That’s a damn shame,” Mel groused.

Rey shrugged. “He wasn’t much of the festive type.”

“Well, were gonna get us a huge one then,” Mel assured her. “Decorate it real nice too.”

“Are you going to get one for your house too, Clyde?” Rey wondered.

He shook his head. “Ain’t no reason to. No one to see it but me.”

Mellie scoffed. “Ain’t no one shaking my tree limbs neither. It’s just good holiday spirit is all.”

“What about Joe?” Clyde smirked.

Mellie blushed slightly. “That’s neither here nor there about you gettin’ yourself a tree.”

“Awful hard to decorate it with this damned contraption on my arm anyway,” Clyde shrugged.

Rey frowned at him, chewing on her lip but saying nothing. Mellie as always had more than enough to say, huffing out a breath. “Clyde Logan don’t you even start, you know any one of us would help you if had a want for a tree.”

He chuckled softly; he knew he wouldn’t get away with that one. He glanced to Rey, still quiet as she seemed to be contemplating and staring ahead at the dash. He was afraid maybe he’d made her uncomfortable, and for a moment he felt the urge to apologize. He knew from experience that only made things more awkward, so he settled for silence instead.

Mellie wasn’t having it, reaching over to his radio and flicking it on to some nineties station and squealing when whatever boy band was singing crooned about strings and some other nonsense.

“What is this?” Clyde turned up his nose.

“You ain’t too cool for *NSYNC,” Mellie frowned. “You know who they are.”

“Not too cool for anything,” Clyde chuckled. “This just ain’t good music.”

Mellie huffed, shrugging as she began to bob her head to the music, staring out the window. The rest of their drive was quiet, Rey still contemplative and Mel singing softly to herself to practically every song that came over the radio. When the tree farm finally came into view, Rey seemed to perk up, her excitement all over her face and Clyde’s chest grew tight. Her appreciation for such little things made him want to give her… well, _everything_. It was quickly becoming a problem.

He pulled into the parking lot, killing the truck and stepping outside of it quickly to escape the distraction that was Rey pressed against him. He pulled his coat a little tighter against the chill in the air, his breath coming out in a white cloud. Mel and Rey climbed out on the opposite side, Rey’s eyes darting around to the expanse of trees beyond the fence in delight as she tucked errant curls behind her ear.

She looked behind her towards him, her eyes meeting his— wide and bright and _damnit_ what color were they? Sometimes it kept him up at night wondering. She smiled at him, the action lighting up her whole face as she nodded her head towards the gate that lead out back.

Mellie and Clyde could only follow after her eager form, Mel chuckling softly as she leaned into Clyde conspiratorially. “She sure is a cute little thing.”

Clyde cleared his throat, looking to Rey to ensure she were far enough ahead not to hear. “I reckon so.”

Mel rolled her eyes. “Oh you _reckon,_ huh _?”_

 _“_ Mel _,”_ he warned. “She’s nineteen.”

“Don’t give me that song and dance, Clyde Logan. I’ve seen the way you look at her, and if we’re being honest I’ve seen the way she looks at you too.”

He stole a glance ahead, watching as Rey pushed through the gate to greet Mr. Young who was hobbling over from his rocking chair on the porch. She smiled at him, tucking that same stray tendril behind her ear and Clyde blew out a breath.

“She’s got too much living to do to be held back by someone like me.”

Mel scoffed. “One of these days, you’re going to wake up and realize just how much you’ve got to offer.

She stalked off to join Rey in a huff, Clyde shuffling behind slowly as he mulled over her words. Rey was just so young, so much life ahead of her and Clyde… well, he’d already lived a good part of his. He’d seen and done things that made him feel older than his years. Rey deserved college, friends, a _life._ He would be nothing more than a shackle to her. It pained him, but he knew it it was the truth.

He caught up to them just about the time Bodge was offering Rey a circus peanut candy, the soft orange treat held out in his hand as she eyed it warily. Clyde didn’t know how, but no matter where he came across the old man, he always kept those blasted candies on him. Clyde wasn’t even sure who was still _selling_ them.

“Well hello, Clyde,” the elderly man smiled. “I was just telling your little lady here she’s got to try one of these.”

Rey bit her lip at Bodge’s mistake, and he was thankful for the toboggan over his ears to hide their blush. “She ain’t mine,” he corrected quietly, earning an awkward stretch of silence from Rey.

She took the candy, taking a bite off the end, her nose wrinkling as she chewed. “It’s… weirdly good?”

Clyde laughed as Bodge grinned toothily. “That’s about right. Y’all here for a tree?”

“Yes sir,” Mel piped up. “I promised Rey here a big one.”

“We got some larger Evergreen’s near the back. Clyde, grab one of them there axes on the porch,” Bodge instructed.

He did so, following Mr. Young and the girls through the rows of trees towards a group of taller specimens near the back fence. Cutting down the tree Mel and Rey picked out was only slightly awkward with his prosthetic, having had plenty of practice chopping them for his old wood stove over the years. When it was strapped and tied to the truck, Clyde went back through the gate after the girls, finding Rey near the porch with a smaller tree in her grasp that wasn’t any taller than she was.

Clyde furrowed his brow, wondering what was going on. Mel came from inside the office, yelling out her goodbye to Mr. Young.

“What’s this one for?” Clyde wondered.

Mel looked at Rey expectantly, who only looked down at the ground sheepishly. Mel shook her head, turning to Clyde. “Rey here bought you a tree.”

“You did what now?” Clyde sought incredulously.

Mel nodded. “She cut the damned thing down herself.”

“I couldn’t handle one of the bigger ones so I was hoping this one would do…” she offered quietly. “I thought maybe me and Mel could come over and help decorate it later…”

He could only gape at her, struggling to put to words the feelings rushing through him and coming up with nothing. “You didn’t have to do that.”

She nodded softly. “I know I didn’t.”

He cleared his throat, crossing the space between them to take the tiny tree from her. “I suppose I should load it… thank you, Rey.”

Another nod, her cheeks flushed and her eyes still not meeting his. “You’re welcome.”

 _Well,_ he thought has he turned away with the tree in tow. _Guess I got myself a tree this year._

* * *

He sat perched on his couch, eyeing the spindly green evergreen that he’d set up in the corner of his living room. He hadn’t put up a Christmas tree since… well, ever really. He didn’t see any need for one. That was always Mellie’s thing.

He couldn’t decide what Rey’s motivation was for buying the damned thing. He wondered if perhaps she felt indebted to him somehow. Maybe because he’d helped her she felt like she needed to pay him back in some way. He’d admittedly let himself entertain the idea that maybe Mel hadn’t just been blowing smoke when she’d mentioned Rey being of similar mind… but had quickly brushed it away.

When he heard Mel’s car pulling up in his drive, he let out a sigh, steeling himself to have Rey in his space again and giving thanks that at least Mel would be there as a buffer to distract him from what would surely be errant thoughts. He shuffled across the living room, coming to a stop outside his door just as a quiet knock sounded against it. He wrenched it open, finding Rey on the other side holding a cardboard box with Christmas lights jumbled on top.

He glanced past Rey, his yard empty and he gave her a confused look. “Where’s Mel?”

Rey bit her lip. “Um, she started feeling bad about an hour ago. Says she thinks she might have caught a cold out at the tree farm. She said I should just take her car and come help.”

Clyde repressed the urge to sigh. Mel was getting really proficient at this particular trick of hers. He moved to the side, allowing Rey to push past him with her box of decorations and closing the door as he released the breath he’d been holding.

This was going to be one hell of a night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _deer in headlights_ \- I don’t know if everyone has deer indigenous to their respective parts, but when you come across one on the road at night and your headlights hit them, they sort of just stand there stunned by the lights.
> 
>  _colder than a witch’s titty_ \- I mean, I know you all know what this means I’m just pointing out this is an actual thing I’ve heard my entire life. 😂
> 
>  _circus peanut candy_ \- Okay so maybe these are universal but I don’t see them too often anymore. I actually put this whole bit in for myself, my late great-grandpa Bodge ALWAYS had circus peanut candies when you saw him. Didn’t matter where he was. Lmao.


	6. A Little Color Won’t Hurt You None

* * *

 

Clyde was quiet as they worked, unjumbling the thick grouping of Christmas lights with careful attention as Rey sorted through the various ornaments Mellie had given her to bring. Again he had seemed… less than enthusiastic to spend any time alone with her, and she wondered then if maybe she made him uncomfortable. Was her admiration of him that transparent?

He’d said more than once that he wasn’t interested in a kid. It stung— knowing that the years between them held such an importance in his mind but there was little she could do about it. She’d tried doing things that could possibly make him see her in a new light— make him see that she was more than her young years, but so far all she’d managed to do was make him seem uncomfortable.

She knew it had been selfish to agree to come alone when Mel had started feeling under the weather, but the thought of stealing a few moments with him had been too tempting to pass up. They were few— these moments they had with just the two of them, but Rey had come to treasure each of them.

Her days leading up to these had been like a summer storm, windswept like the low hangings of an old oak that swayed in its tumultuous current, moving back and forth without ever really going anywhere. She’d been stuck in the roaring of its downpour, feeling almost as if she were drowning in its chaos.

Then she’d met Clyde.

With Clyde the storm seemed to still, find a peace she’d not felt since… well, a very long time. Something about him made everything calmer, happier somehow. It was odd— these feelings that lingered inside her for a man so much older than her and that had only been in her life for such a short time. It didn’t stop her from having them though.

At first she had thought perhaps it was simply that Clyde had seen her— _really_ seen her. He’d looked at her with those dark eyes and seen past the anger, past the hurt, straight to the scared girl that she tried to hide. He’d extended a hand where no one else had, giving her a reason to smile again.

Then she found herself looking at him beyond what he’d done for her.

She saw the way his lips pressed into a tight line when he was thinking too hard. The way his brow furrowed slightly just before he broke out in a smile when he found  something funny. The way his hair fell into his eyes when he was concentrating, begging to be pushed back. Even the way she caught him studying his prosthetic arm when he thought no one was looking— as if he still couldn’t quite believe it was there.

There were so many things to like about Clyde. _Too_ many things if she were being honest with herself— and not one of them had anything to do with what he’d done for her.

“Looks like there’s more than one color here,” Clyde remarked, breaking her from her musings. “You like plain white or this rainbow lookin’ nonsense?”

Rey grinned at his petulant tone— he really wasn’t one for all this festivity. “A little color won’t hurt you none.”

He gave her a look that said he didn’t entirely agree with her logic, setting the white lights aside all the same as he strung out the colored lights. He stood from the couch, starting near the top of the tree which came to rest a good foot shorter than he did. He began to wind the lights around, that little wrinkle in his brow deep as he worked meticulously to get the lights draped just right.

Rey began to look through the ornaments that she’d sorted by color— a nervous habit that had cropped when she was a child. Eating multi-colored candies was still a nightmare. She stood with an armful of reds, beginning to hang them strategically throughout the branches in a symmetrical pattern until she was satisfied they’d been spread out evenly. They worked quietly for a time, Clyde moving around the tree as Rey ducked under his arm to hang her baubles.

She stood back to admire her handiwork when she was finished with the reds, grinning softly. When she looked up at Clyde, she caught him staring down at her, a look in his eyes she couldn’t quite pinpoint. He blinked when she caught him staring, turning away quickly and returning to what he was doing.

She knelt to pick up a pale blue ornament from the pile still on the floor, adorned in various bits of glitter and paint, turning it over to read what had been written.

“Hey,” she grinned. “This one’s yours.”

He peered down at his name in glitter paired with the year he’d made it. “That ornament is older than you are.”

She frowned slightly, Clyde again pointing out the difference between them. “It still looks good to me. I don’t think the years make any difference.”

He faltered in his light stringing, working his jaw briefly as if he knew she meant more than just the ornament.

“Old thing like that— more likely to break. Not the kind you want on your tree.”

“How do you know what I want on my tree?”

He stilled, not looking at her but staring at the bit of lights he held on his hand. “I’ve been around a long time, Rey. I know what works and what doesn’t.”

She bit her lip, turning the ornament over in her hands and _knowing_ he knew they were talking about anything but it. He was telling her it would never work between them. That their age difference would always be a hard limit for him. That he would never see her as anything more than a kid.

She felt like her heart might have been made of stone in that moment. She felt it sink down from her chest into her stomach and she wondered then why she’d even come.

What had she thought would happen?

She blew out a breath, hearing him continuing his work even as she felt that sinking feeling taking over. She stared down at the the ornament in her hand, tucking a stray curl behind her ear and peeking up at him.

“Clyde, I—”

“It’s getting pretty late,” he cut in, clearing his throat. “I could probably finish by myself. I know you got work in the mornin’.”

“I can help finish up…”

“It’s probably best you check in on Mel anyhow. Her being sick and all.”

Rey nodded softly, recognizing when she was being dismissed. She stood from where she’d knelt on the floor, shuffling to the couch where she’d left her coat. She shrugged into it, peeking back at Clyde and finding his gaze fixed pointedly on the tree in front of him.

Still holding the ornament in her hand, she moved slowly across the short distance between them, coming to rest just beside. He glanced down at her, his mouth pressed in a tight line but his eyes searching as if he were holding himself back. She reached for his hand, gently placing the ornament there and sighing softly as she looked down at it.

“Just because a thing is worn— doesn’t make it worthless. It just means… that it might need a little more love than others.”

She heard him suck in a breath, and when she peeked up at him, his mouth was parted slightly as if words were right on the tip of his tongue. He said nothing though, and in a moment of boldness, she leaned on her tiptoes, her lips falling softly to his cheek in a barely there kiss. He stood so still, not pushing her away but not seeking more, and when she pulled away, his eyes were shut tight and he seemed to be holding his breath. She stepped away, not wanting to push her luck any further and moving towards the door.

“I guess I’ll… see you around?” He gave a short nod, staring at her heavily then as if in shock. “Well… goodnight, Clyde.”

She barely heard his reply, his voice low and soft as he returned with, “Goodnight, Rey.”

Back in Mel’s car, she cranked up the engine to let the heat begin to flow, raising her hands to the vent to warm them as her eyes remained trained on the silhouette of Clyde stooped over that damned tree through his curtains. At least he was going to finish it.

When she backed out of his drive, she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why she wanted to cry.

* * *

It had begun to snow by the time she got to Mel’s, and Rey dusted the flakes off her boots on the rug at the front door before letting herself in with her key. Mel sat on the couch, watching some sort of reality show and sipping at a glass of wine.

“You look like you’re feelin’ better,” Rey pointed out.

Mel shrugged. “False alarm I guess. You’re home… early.”

Rey frowned. “Did you send me over there alone on purpose?”

Mel took a long sip from her glass, trying to look innocent. “Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

Rey unwound the scarf she wore around her neck, draping it over the coat rack and shrugging out of her coat. She chucked off her boots, stalking over to the couch to sit herself beside Mel and letting her head fall back against the cushions. She let out a sigh, looking over at Mel with what she could only assume was a pathetic expression.

Mel frowned, turning inwards fo face Rey. “I reckon it didn’t go well?”

Rey blew out a breath. “He just acts… like I bother him is all.”

Mel snorted. “Oh, you bother him alright.”

“Not the good kind of bother,” she whined. “Like… like I’m just a kid. Like being around me makes him uncomfortable.”

Mel let out a sigh, rubbing between her eyes in frustration. “Why do I gotta do everything my damn self?”

Rey cocked her head in curiosity, Mel looking at her pointedly. “Listen here, Clyde is… well, he’s always been set in his ways. Once he gets an idea in that thick head of his… there ain’t much that can change his mind.”

“So you’re saying I should just let it go?”

Mel clicked her tongue, furrowing her brow. “Girl I ain’t sayin’ that at all.”

“Then what _are_ you sayin’?”

“I’m sayin’… that I know my brother can be a stubborn ass, but… he’s worth the wait, Rey. Just… just don’t give up on him.”

Rey considered. “How can I make him see I ain’t no kid?”

Mel tapped a finger against her chin, thinking. “You know… Clyde is a man who don’t ever really get out of his own way. When you’re faced with a man like that… the only thing you can do is _make_ him go out of his way.”

“Whadya mean by that?”

“Maybe you make him see just how much he likes havin’ you around by _not_ being around so much.”

Rey mulled it over. “Like, avoid him?”

Mel waved a hand. “I ain’t sayin’ all that. Maybe just make yourself… less available. Man don’t know what he’s got till it’s gone.”

“What if he—” Rey grimaced. “What if he don’t care?”

“Trust me, Rey. I know my brother. He’ll care. Don’t tuck tail and run at the first sign of a challenge.”

Rey cast her eyes to the floor, mulling over Mellie’s words. She nodded finally, feeling a slight lift in her spirits and giving Mellie a shy smile. “I figure I could do that.”

“Just tell me you don’t have a mind to hurt my brother,” Mel asked pointedly.

Rey pursed her lips, thinking of Clyde’s slow smile and his soft voice and grinning a little wider to herself. “No Mel, I don’t reckon I do.”

“He’ll come around,” Mel offered, nodding heavily and letting her eyes rake down Rey’s figure and return upwards to settle on her face. “He might be a stubborn ass, but he ain’t stupid.”

Rey grinned back at her, only able to hope that Mellie was right. She didn’t know at what point she had decided she needed Clyde to see her as more than what he obviously did, but she knew then she needed it more than breathing.

She could call Clyde a lot of things— compassionate, quiet, sincere… but she realized in that moment the only thing she wanted to call him was hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No southerisms today! We’re on a downhill slide to getting these dummies out of their own way and into each other’s pants. Ffs I’m ready. 😂❤️


	7. Madder Than A Henless Rooster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry I missed the comments from last time! Gah, I honestly didn’t even realize I hadn’t till I went to draft yesterday and I spent all day answering comments and I’M SORRY! I’ll try to do better this time! I appreciate them so much. 😭 Guys. I keep saying it but we’re so close to something happening. This chapter’s a catalyst! 😍

* * *

 

Three days. He hadn’t heard from her in three damn days. He could kick himself for the way he’d treated her. She’d practically told him she’d cared about him and he’d went and put his foot in his mouth. Why had he done that anyhow?

Stupid question.

He knew the answer— wasn’t hard to figure out, really. He was a coward. Too afraid to take something so readily offered based on some bullshit principles that he wasn’t even sure really mattered. Now she’d done up and disappeared, and he had no one to blame but himself.

Not that he didn’t know where she was. She was still right where she always was, but that hadn’t kept him from being a stubborn ass, not even attempting to call or visit and fix this stupid rift he’d caused. His feelings aside, he just fucking _missed_ her. Everything about her.

“Something got you in a knot, brother?”

Clyde turned, remembering Jimmy was perched at the edge of the bar, and he frowned as he shook his head. “Nothin’ really.”

Jimmy cocked an eyebrow. “Uh huh. You sure about that? You look madder than a henless rooster.”

“I said I’m fine,” Clyde grumbled, turning to start cleaning some glasses.

Jimmy sighed. “I don’t know why you’ve gotta be so damn ornery.”

Clyde turned in a huff. “What did you say?”

“You heard me,” Jimmy pressed. “You’re bein’ a stubborn ass.”

“I ain’t bein’ _anything.”_

“Sure are. Mellie told me you and Rey had a tiff.”

Clyde scowled. “Can’t anyone in this family keep their damn mouth shut.”

“You’re just now realizing that?” Jimmy laughed. “So spill. What did you do?”

“How do you know I did something?”

“Do coyotes howl at night?”

Clyde huffed. “I might have… said some stuff I shouldn’t have.”

“ _No,_ not you.”

“Whose side are you on?”

“Yours, little brother. Trust me. Even if it means keepin’ you from being an idiot.”

“I just…” Clyde scrubbed a hand over his face, blowing out a breath. “I panicked a little.”

“What for?”

“She was sayin’ all these things… all these things that got me thinkin’ she might like me.”

“...and that’s a bad thing?”

“It is when she’s her and I’m… well, me.”

“Load of horseshit,” Jimmy scoffs, taking a sip of his beer.

“ _Excuse_ me?”

“Didn’t stutter. It’s horseshit.”

“Now, listen here—”

“No, _you_ listen, Clyde Logan. Because I’m tired of tellin’ ya. This crock of bull you keep carrying around that you ain’t good enough for anybody is just about the dumbest sack of shit I ever heard. You’re ten times the man with one hand than at least a hundred I’ve met with two. You could give that girl the whole world if you had half a mind to.”

“I… she could do better.”

“Better than what? A good man? Owns his own business? Looks after others? Puts them before his own needs? You’re doing it right now, with a girl who ain’t even askin’ you to! Stop being so fuckin’ noble and take what’s being offered to you for once in your damn life.”

Clyde stared after him, his lips pressed together as anger coursed through him. Not anger at Jimmy, of course. Anger at _himself._ Of course he knew that Jimmy was completely right, but that knowledge didn’t take the sting out of the words. He looked down at his knuckles, his hand gripping the glass there tightly as he mulled over Jimmy’s words.

He turned away, knowing that looking at his brother any longer would only drive the fact home that Clyde _was_ an idiot. Did Jimmy really think he didn’t know that? He knew exactly what he was missing out on and what he was turning down. He never said it was easy, he only said it was _right._

The night dragged on, Jimmy hanging around to further berate him at every turn as the rowdier of his clientele filed in. He caught sight of the youngest Bang brothers at a table across the bar, and he nodded at Fish who gave him a wave. He saw a little more of them than he’d like ever since Joe had taken up with Mellie— a fact that she still kept fairly under wraps. Clyde wasn’t sure why, seeing as half the town knew about it. They hung around for awhile, having round after round, getting more and more riled up, and Clyde was content to ignore them for the most part.

Until he heard them mention Rey.

He stilled when he heard her name— the hairs on the back of his neck bristling and his shoulders going tense. He strained his ear towards their table, trying to get a better listen.

“I’m just saying, I think she’s single.”

Sam scratched at his beard, thinking. “Thought she was Clyde’s girl.”

“Na, man. Just friends I think. I ain’t even seen ‘em together lately.”

They were either too drunk to notice how loud they were being, or they just didn’t care. Clyde felt anger creeping under his skin, knowing he didn’t have a single claim to Rey and therefore no justification for the way he was feeling. He’d made sure of that.

“Well, I reckon I might ask her out,” Fish kept on.

“You think she’d even wanna date you?”

“Why not? I’m a catch.”

Fish wiggled his eyebrows then, and Sam groaned. “I wouldn’t be usin’ that line on her if you’ve got a mind to ask her out. It’s lame.”

“Says you,” Fish huffed.

“Says _anyone.”_

 _“_ Whatever _._ I’m gonna ask her. She works over at Mel’s store, I could just pop by there.”

“I’m tellin’ ya, I think you’re askin’ for trouble. Pretty sure Clyde’s sweet on her.”

“Sweet ain’t action, and it’s every man for himself out here.”

“Hm, I guess I can drink to that.”

Clyde was practically seething at that point, having half a mind to go over there and knock their heads together but knowing he didn’t have any grounds to do that. He caught Jimmy’s eye, who gave him a knowing look from the bar and shook his head when Clyde gave him a glare.

“ _What?”_

Jimmy just shrugged. “I’m just sayin’, brother. You really think _those_ two idiots are better for Rey than you?”

Clyde grit his teeth, hating to admit it… but knowing Jimmy had a point.

* * *

 He was being a complete coward, standing outside Mel’s shop and staring at the door like he was too afraid to go in. For all accounts and purposes he reckoned he was. He pulled his coat a little tighter, blowing out a breath as he pulled open the glass door to step inside.

Mel glanced at him from over some curlers she was setting, raising an eyebrow. He wasn’t looking at her though, not really. His eyes darted around the shop, in search of the one person he was actually after. He frowned when she wasn’t in view, finally looking to Mel.

“She ain’t here,” Mel offered.

“Who?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. Rey.”

Denying it was ignorant at that point, so he didn’t bother. “Where is she?”

“She ain’t been feelin’ well, so I sent her on home.”

Clyde felt himself tense. “She okay?”

Mel waved him off. “She’s fine. Just a cold I think. She just looked puny is all.”

His eyes cast to the floor, sighing. He’d missed her again. “Well, guess tell her I stopped by.”

“Why don’t you tell her yourself?”

“Do what now?”

Mel rolled her eyes. “Go see her. She could use the company.”

“I don’t think she wants to see me.”

“Why you here then?”

Clyde opened his mouth, letting it close just as quickly and knowing that was a fair point. “I don’t know, really.”

“Mhm. Exactly. Pick her up some soup and take it by the house. Least you can do.”

“Do _you_ think she even wants to see me?”

“Little late to be worrying about that when you done come after her at work.”

“Alright, then,” Clyde conceded. “You know what kind she likes?”

Mel laughs. “It’s Rey. That girl will eat anything.”

“Yeah.” Clyde grinned, knowing the truth of that firsthand. “You’re right about that.”

* * *

His knock was so tentative at first he was afraid she wouldn’t hear it. Hell, part of him _hoped_ she wouldn’t. He didn’t even know what he was going to say to her. He stood on Mel’s porch like a sucker, holding the bag from Maz with her homemade potato soup. He wasn’t sure if it was Rey’s favorite— but he knew it was his, and it always picked him up when he was down.

When there was no answer, he gave another knock, a little louder this time. _Damn._ He started to worry a little, knowing Mel had said it was just a cold but allowing his imagination to get the best of him. What if she’d gotten worse?

He finally reached for his key, turning it in the lock and pushing open the door. “Rey?” No answer. Frowning, he closed the door behind him, glancing around the living room to find it empty.

Where was she?

He sat the bag on the sofa table, shrugging out of his coat and laying it over the back of the couch. He supposed she might be in her room, and he hesitated for a moment. He’d never been in her room. He moved down the hall slowly, hovering outside the door before knocking lightly. “Rey?”

Nothing.

The door wasn’t closed entirely, and he pushed it open just a little further as he peeked around it. “Rey?”

He found her there, sprawled over her bed like a starfish, bed covers rumpled around her and her mouth slack in sleep. She slept like a teenage boy. Clyde couldn’t help the grin that crept over his features. For a minute he just allowed himself to indulge in looking at her, having so few chances to do so without fear of someone reading too much into it.

Her hair was wild, curling around her cheeks and fluttering slightly as her breath left her in soft sighs. She wore an old t-shirt that was far too big for her, her legs covered in tiny sleep shorts that left entirely too much leg on display. Clyde swallowed thickly as he let his eyes travel down the length of her legs, unbidden thoughts of what they might look like wrapped around him. Would she pull him closer with them?

He sucked in a sharp breath through his nostrils, shaking those thoughts away and mentally chastising himself. That weren’t right at all. Even if it might _feel_ right if she— _no. Stop it, Clyde._ He took another deep breath, taking a step towards her with the intention to situate her covers.

He only intended to cover her up and leave, he really did, but she rolled over in sleep, her shirt creeping up just a little higher and exposing the firm skin of her stomach. Clyde swallowed, his hands shaking slightly as he reached for the blanket to pull it over her. She made a quiet sound when his fingers brushed against her skin unwittingly, something like a whimper, and it wasn’t his brain that heard it, that’s for sure. He willed himself to calm down a little, her nearness proving too much for him.

She tensed as the thick covering settled over her, sighing softly and as her breath left her— he was almost positive he heard his name on its exhale. He stilled, that one word holding him captive when it was her saying it. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her mouth— soft and pink and parted slightly and he realized if things had went differently the other night he might know what those lips felt like right now.

He shook his head, pulling away from her abruptly and mentally chastising himself. He was being a total creep again. How many times had he watched her sleep now since he’d met her? Too many to be called acceptable that was for sure.

She looked so peaceful, though— so sweet in her sleep, and it tugged at something deep inside Clyde. It couldn’t hurt to just— maybe just a _little—_

He was leaning before he even realized it, his lips barely pressing to her forehead and lingering as he closed his eyes. She was so _warm—_ evidence of her sickness, and it only made him feel worse about stealing this moment. He made to pull away, but he felt tiny hands moving over his chest then, sliding upwards to fiddle with his collar.

He pulled away with the intent to apologize, mortified to have been caught in the act, but he felt those same hands at his jaw, a thumb moving over the stubble there. He wasn’t prepared for the way she pulled at him, tugging his face down towards her abruptly.  

Her lips against his were a surprise— warm and soft and pressing against him gently as she held him by his shirt. He groaned, pressing back against her just slightly and letting his hand fall to her side. He knew he should stop it, that he should pull away from her, but he physically _couldn’t._ He’d thought about what kissing her might be like a lot more than he cared to admit, and even this chaste experience was far better than he could have imagined.

It was Rey who finally pulled away instead, falling back against her pillow and looking up at him with a happy smile and glassy eyes. “Good dream.”

 _Shit._ She didn’t even know what she’d done. “Rey, honey, you’re sick. Go back to sleep.”

“Am asleep, silly.” He smiled, tucking the covers around her and watching her snuggle into them. One eye still peeked up at him, that same dopey grin on her face. “You’re pretty.”

He chuckled softly, smoothing the hair away from her forehead and worrying over the heat there. “So are you, darlin’.”

“Missed you,” she murmured.

His chest went tight, watching her eyes flutter closed and her chest rise and fall heavily as she nuzzled into her pillow. He watched her settle back to sleep, and he lingered for a moment, pressing his fingers to his mouth, still feeling the shape of hers there. It did nothing for the way he felt about her, only feeding that fire in him and making him want more. He could feel his resolve crumbling, withering away into a feeble thing he couldn’t hold onto.

Would it really be such a bad thing to take care of her? He wanted to, he realized. Above all else be wanted to just _be_ there for her. It was clear to him that she might want that too, and given the way he felt about her, how could that be a bad thing?

Still that lingering doubt gripped him, creeping into every good feeling he had and tainting it. _Not for you_ , it whispered. _She could do better,_ it all but shouted. He let out a deep sigh, the flicker of hope he’d just experienced sputtering out as it always did. He brushed his knuckles against the back of her cheek, his fingers lingering at her jaw as his thumb lightly stroked there.

He moved away from her bed then, standing in the doorway and taking one last look at her before closing it behind him. He put her soup in the fridge, leaving a note on the outside with instructions that she heat it up when she woke. He pressed his lips together as he put on his coat, knowing that the feel of hers against his would stay with him forever. He just hoped maybe she was too out of it to really remember what happened. The best case scenario would be that she forgot all about it.

Even if he never would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _madder than a henless rooster_ \- I mean, a cock is always looking for a hen. Js.
> 
>  _Do coyotes howl at night?_ \- y’all got coyotes? You might think they’re just cute little wood puppies but no. They’re rats with fluffy tails. Eat your chickens/guineas and knock over your trash cans. Oh, and yes. They howl at night. 😂
> 
>  _crock of bull_ \- bullshit
> 
>  
> 
> __
> 
> __


	8. All Gussied Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It’s been awhile. I honestly got a little stuck here and ohwise1ne made a suggestion that really got the juices going and here we are.

* * *

 

Waking up was a lot harder than it should have been. She hadn’t seen this cold coming, but it had really knocked her on her ass. Her throat was dry and scratchy, and her head still throbbed as she tried to squint open her eyes, but she was sweating like a pig, so it seemed her fever had broken at least. She tried sitting up— a mistake really, because it only made her woozy.

Checking the clock, she noticed it was nearing dark and that she had lost nearly the entire day. She rubbed at her eyes, rolling her shoulders as she tried to swing her legs over the bed with effort. Bits and pieces of her fevered dreams came back to her, hazy images of Clyde and his soft mouth on hers, and she thought to herself that at least she’d gotten something good out of all this.

She stretched as she stepped from the bed, pulling her t-shirt down and situating it as she padded across her bedroom to open the door. She heard noises down the hall in the kitchen, and she went off in search of them to find Mellie milling about at the sink as she washed dishes.

“Good to see you’re alive.”

Rey nodded wearily. “Barely. I still feel like I got hit by a truck.”

“Still runnin’ fever?”

“I don’t think so?”

“Come here,” Mellie gestured. Rey obliged, stepping close and wrapping a hand around the back of her neck to pull her in. She pressed her lips to Rey’s forehead briefly, humming as she pulled away. “Don’t feel like you got one to me. But might oughta take some more medicine just to be sure.”

Rey’s brow furrowed in the aftermath of Mellie’s little trick, sparking some memory that she couldn’t quite grasp. She was still pondering over it when Mellie spoke again. “Did you see Clyde come by?”

Rey’s gaze snapped to hers. “He came by?”

Mel nodded. “Brought you some soup. There’s a note on the fridge… I guess you were still asleep.”

“Damnit,” Rey muttered. She moved to the fridge, pulling the scrap of paper from underneath the magnet and smiling at the scrawled note.

_Rey,_

_Don’t know if you even like this kind, but it always makes me feel better. Just heat it up for a minute or two and it’ll be just right. Get to feeling better._

_Clyde_

She was still grinning down at it when a thought struck her, her dream coming back to her more vividly and filling her with the pertinent question. _Had_ it been a dream? She pressed her fingers to her lips. She remembered a soft weight against her brow, a large body over hers and she’d— well she’d tugged him to her, hadn’t she? Had she actually kissed him?

It was fragmented, but it was there. The more she thought about it, the more she thought it might not be so much of a dream. What’s more, if she _had_ kissed him— she distinctly remembered him kissing her back. In fact, just thinking about it gave her a shiver that had nothing to do with her illness.

“You gonna eat that?”

Mel’s voice roused her from her daydreaming, and she nodded quickly as she carried the bowl to the microwave. She pried the lid off, the contents even cold smelling heavenly.

She watched the bowl spin, thoughts still centered heavily around Clyde. Mel settled at the kitchen table, scrubbing a hand down her face. “Jimmy wants to throw you a birthday tomorrow.”

Rey frowned. “Birthday?”

“Yeah?” Mel cocked her head. “It’s tomorrow ain’t it?”

Rey checked the calendar hanging on the wall, giving a little hmph. It had completely snuck up on her. “I guess it is.”

“Well,” Mel laughed. “Jimmy ain’t forgot at least. Invited every damn person we know.”

The microwave timer went off, and Rey retrieved the bowl and two spoons to carry them to the table. “Y’all really don’t have to do that.”

“Shut up.” Mel waved her off as she snatched a spoon to taste the soup. “Shit, that is good.” She returned her attention to Rey. “You’re one of ours now, it’s your birthday, and we’re having a fuckin’ party.”

Rey grinned softly, averting her gaze to steal a bite of soup instead. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Like we need too much of an excuse to get hammered,” Mel snorted. “Gonna have it at the bar. Gonna dress you up real pretty too.”

Rey cocked an eyebrow. “What for?”

Mel licked her spoon, her lips curling in a mischievous grin. “Think you know what for.”

Rey’s mind went right back to her bedroom— to a barely there brush of lips against her brow that blended into the press of a warm mouth against her own. She couldn’t help the smile that spread over her face. “I do have okay legs.”

“You got _fantastic_ legs, first of all.” Mel pointed her spoon at Rey. “Secondly, I’m gonna guss you up so nice my brother’ll trip over those bigass feet of his.”

Rey barked out a laugh, shaking her head as she took another bite of her soup. There was no doubt in her mind now that her dream had decidedly _not_ been a dream— and she was determined to get to the root of that kiss.

And hopefully steal another.

* * *

“It’s plumb cold out here, Mel,” Rey chattered as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

“Hush your mouth, it’ll be worth it.”

Rey had felt like a damned beauty queen contestant all day, Mel pulling out dress after dress before finally deciding on the little denim number with the lace trim around the skirt. She’d curled Rey’s hair to a point Rey had never seen before— perfect little ringlets framing her face that Rey had to admit were, well, _pretty._

The end result had left Rey hopeful, knowing there was only one person she wanted to see her like this. Still, even with the knee-high boots Mel had loaned her, Rey found quickly that her outfit and December in West Virginia did _not_ mix.

She shuffled into the bar quickly, finding it packed full of everyone she’d met and then some. Mel pushed her further inside, Jimmy taking over to sling an arm around her.

“There she is.” He whistled as he took in her outfit. “Pretty as a picture there, Rey.”

“Careful, now.” A short-haired brunette stood off to the side, her brow furrowed and her mouth quirked into a grin. “Don’t forget, I’m right here.”

Jimmy scoffed. “Now, Sylvia, you know I’m a one-woman man.” He leaned in a bit, not _quite_ whispering. “She’s practically my sister-in-law anyhow.”

Rey felt her blush all the way to her hair. “I don’t know about that.”

“Just give it time.” Jimmy took a swig from the amber bottle he carried. “Speakin’ of…” He craned his neck over the crowd. “The birthday girl is here!”

A loud cheer sounded from around the room, various glasses lifted into the air. It was only when they lowered that she saw him, leaned back against the sink behind the bar, arms crossed over his chest and eyes trained on her.

For a moment there wasn’t anyone else in the room with them.

Then the noise faded back in and people were pulling her along and all she wanted to do was cross the room to get to him. Earl was speaking to her then, and she tried her damndest to focus on what he was saying— even if her attention was well behind the bar.

“Big twenty, eh?” Earl nodded appreciatively. “What I wouldn’t give to be twenty again. I tell you what, I used to raise all sorts of hell back in them days.”

“Ain’t much changed,” Jimmy muttered, taking a swig of his beer.

Earl scoffed. “Like you got any room to talk.”

Jimmy laughed, turning to his girlfriend as they fell into a private conversation. Mel popped up beside Rey, offering her a bottle. Rey gave her a look, and Mel just shrugged. “It’s your birthday. Ain’t nobody gotta know.”

Rey grinned as she took the bottle, popping off the top on the edge of a nearby table and taking a swig. It wasn’t her first beer by any means, but it was definitely her first that she hadn’t snuck under her daddy’s nose.

Her chest grew a little tight. _He should be here,_ she thought.

It was her first without him, and the last didn’t hold the most pleasant of memories— the image of him still hooked up to monitors only days away from death still fresh on her mind.

“You alright there?”

She looked up, roused from her bad memories by the sight of a man that didn’t look too much older than she did. His long hair fell past his collarbones, some old worn cowboy hat perched on his head that he tipped upwards with his finger.

“Oh,” she offered. “I’m fine. Just thinkin’ is all.”

He held out his hand. “Name’s Fish.”

“Fish?” She wrinkled her nose, shaking his hand briefly. “That ain’t a name.”

He shrugged. “Only one I got.”

“Alright then,” she laughed.

He leaned against the back of the table, grinning at her. “So you stayin’ over at Mel’s place?”

She nodded. “Yep.”

“You know, they got a nifty little drive-in still runnin’ downtown. If you’re interested.”

She furrowed her brow. “You askin’ me out?”

“Maybe,” he grinned.

His candor threw her for a loop. She hadn’t been asked out on a date since junior year, and that had ended in a disaster that she had no desire to repeat.

Besides, there was only one person here she wanted to take her _anywhere_ — and he hadn’t even come to say hello yet. She scrambled for an answer, but was blessedly saved before she needed one.

“Fish Bang, now I didn’t get Rey all prettied up for _you,”_ Mel groused as she pushed between them. “Now you go on back over there and mind your own.”

“Or _what?”_

“You know what.”

Fish scowled, pushing away from the table and huffing. “Can’t threaten me with Joe everytime you ain’t gettin’ your way.”

“Reckon she sure can,” came a new voice.

Rey turned to find a man that looked to be at least Clyde’s age, eyes as bright a blue as his hair was blonde, and Rey’s eyes widened when he slung his arm around Mel’s waist.

Mel took a sip of her beer, grinning up at him. “Now what did I tell you about being all possessive in my brother’s bar.”

“Come on, Mel. Don’t nobody care.”

“Mhm. Best be glad for this beer in my hand. Otherwise I might just do somethin’ about that.”

“I’m sure you would,” he chuckled, directing his attention to Rey. “Now, where are my manners? Name’s Joe Bang, little lady. I hear it’s your birthday.”

“Yes, sir.”

He stuck out his tongue with a _bleh_ sound. “Ain’t no need for that _sir_ business. Make me feel like an old man.”

“Sorry,” Rey laughed.

Joe turned his eyes on Fish then. “Believe Mel asked you to mosey on over that way, boy.”

Fish huffed, shuffling away as Joe shook his head. “Don’t mind him, Rey. Ain’t learned any manners yet.”

“He’s fine,” Rey grinned. “Just not in much of a datin’ mood really.”

“Ain’t what I heard,” Joe chuckled, glancing over to the bar where Clyde was pouring a glass of something for Earl. Rey felt a blush creep up her neck. Did _everyone_ know? She wished Clyde was as astute as every other member of this damned town.

“Why don’t you go get me another beer, Rey?” Mel grinned behind an only half-drank beer in her hand. “If you don’t mind.”

Rey beamed, nodding eagerly and pushing through the crowd towards the bar. She stood beside the wood top for a few months, letting her arms rest against it as she watched him mix up something or other with one hand. He concentrated hard as he worked, that little wrinkle between his eyes that showed he was giving the task all of his attention.

It wasn’t until he was sliding it across the bartop that he saw her, stilling for a moment as he stood a little straighter, just staring at her. She gave a little wave that seemed to pull him from his daze, and he crossed the space to stand just on the other side of the bar.

“Hey, Rey.”

“Hey.”

A bout of awkward silence passed as he studied her face, chewing on his lower lip and distracting her. She tore her eyes away, his mouth parting as he struggled to find something to say.

“So, um. Happy birthday.”

She grinned. “Thank you.”

“Having a good one?”

She shrugged. “I guess. I reckon it could be better.”

“Oh?”

She nodded. “Just depends on how the night goes.”

She watched him swallow, his hand moving rub at his neck as his eyes averted to the floor. “So, anything I can get ya?”

“Mel wants another beer.”

He snorted. “I just bet she does.”

He reached under the counter, pulling out a bottle and handing it over. Their fingers brushed against each other for a moment, and she didn’t miss the way Clyde sucked in a breath.

“Clyde?”

“Yeah?”

She grinned. “Thanks for the soup.”

“Oh.” She swore she could almost see him blushing. “You’re welcome.”

She pushed away from the bar, turning back before she returned to Mel and the others. “Oh, and Clyde?”

He looked up at her expectantly. “Hm?”

“Thanks for everything else, too.”

His eyes widened, and she quickly turned to walk away, barely able to contain her grin.

* * *

Three beers, one slice of cake, and an assortment of gifts she hadn’t expected later— Rey’s mood had somehow soured considerably.

Clyde was back to avoiding her, barely speaking to her when she snuck trips to the bar. Apparently the memory of their kiss embarrassed him, which did nothing for her attitude.

Was it because of her? Or did he just feel guilty somehow?

It frustrated her to no end, thinking he wanted her but seemed too hung up on her damned date of birth.

She sat at one of the high tables in the corner, sipping at a bottle and frowning at the table top as she lamented the looming end of the evening. _Hours_ she’d spent here, all gussied up, and it hadn’t done a lick of good. She was no closer to Clyde now than the day she’d met him, and he’d had his _mouth_ on her for Christ’s sake.

“You look awful lonely.”

She looked up, offering as much of a smile as she was able. “Hey, Fish.”

“Mind if I sit?”

She shrugged, gesturing to the empty seat. “Don’t see why not.”

“Ain’t supposed to look so down on your birthday.”

“Just frustrated is all.”

Fish clenched his lips, stealing a glance towards the bar. “Wouldn’t be because of a certain bartender, would it?”

“How did you—”

“Ain’t hard to tell if you’re lookin’.” He huffed out a sigh. “And I been lookin’.”

“Sorry,” she offered sheepishly.

He waved her off. “Don’t sweat it. I just had to ask is all. Ain’t too often a pretty girl I haven’t known my whole life waltzes into town.”

“I hear you,” she sighed. “I don’t think it matters though. I can’t seem to get him to look my way.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Fish laughed. “Ain’t too hard to notice him eyein’ you all night either. If you’re lookin’.”

“And you have been?”

“Just shapin’ up the competition,” he grinned.

“And?”

“Man watches you like he can’t help it.”

“He does?” She glanced over at the bar just in time to find Clyde quickly giving her his back. Almost as if…

“Tell you what,” Fish started. “I want you to lean in real close to me.”

“What?”

“Just trust me,” he assured her. “I’m doin’ you a real favor here.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“You’ll thank me later. If he hits me though, you owe me a drink.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, scooting her chair a little closer and allowing Fish to drape his arm over the back of it. “How is this supposed to help?” she whispered. “He ain’t even lookin’.”

“Oh,” Fish chuckled. “He’s lookin’. I can see him in the mirror over there. Don’t look too happy neither. I’ll give him… five minutes.”

Fish was speaking directly into her ear, and she wished she could see Clyde. It wasn’t her proudest moment, baiting him like this— but at this point she didn’t have many more hands to play.

Fish cleared his throat. “I was wrong.”

“What? He ain’t lookin’ anymore?”

“No… he’s still lookin’... but it ain’t gonna take him five minutes.”

She glanced over then, finding Clyde stomping across the room and pushing through the crowd to come up beside their table.

Fish looked up, giving Clyde a wide grin. “Well, hey there, Clyde.”

“Fish.” Clyde nodded tightly, eyes flicking to Rey for the briefest of moments. “I think Joe was lookin’ for you.”

Fish frowned. “I don’t think so. He left with Mel about a half-hour ago.”

“He did?” Rey cut in.

Fish nodded. “Yeah. Don’t worry, I can take you home.” Rey didn’t mention the key to Mel’s car she still held in her dress pocket, deciding to let this play out.

Clyde’s jaw tensed, and his fingers curled into a fist. “You will not.”

“Why not?” Fish wondered. “She’s gotta get home. You’re workin’ late. I don’t mind at all.”

“You’re not fuckin’ takin’ her home.”

“ _Woah,_ now. Ain’t no reason to have a conniption fit,” Fish smirked.

“Don’t make me throw you outta this damn bar.”

Rey could only watch this exchange, having never seen Clyde so worked up like this. It was… doing strange things to her, admittedly.  

“What’s got you in a knot, Clyde?” Fish curled his arm to let his hand rest against Rey’s shoulder, Clyde’s eyes immediately homing in on the action and his nostrils flaring.

His jaw worked furiously, staring at the place where Fish was touching her for several moments before finally giving a slow shake of his head. His eyes flicked to Rey’s giving her a long look.

“Nothing,” he said finally. “Nothing at all.”

He turned on his heel, headed back in the direction he’d come, straight past the bar towards the back storeroom in a huff.

Fish blew out a breath. “Thought he really _was_ gonna hit me there for a second.”

Rey could barely hear him, staring after the place Clyde had disappeared to and biting her lip. He’d been so _angry._ Just from Fish touching her a little. How could he sit there and pretend he wanted nothing to do with her?

Fish’s laugh pulled her out of her thoughts. “You’d better go after him.”

She snapped her head to him. “You think so?”

“You obviously want to,” he urged. “And I think it’s the only way to get him to pull his head out of his ass.”

She grinned, thanking Fish and hopping down from the bar to weave through the crowd. She cast a backwards glance at the thinning press of bodies and quickly slipped through the cracked door of the storeroom to shut it behind her.

She found him in a corner— hands at his waist and his head hung low as he stared at his feet. She stepped closer, attempting to close the distance between them.

“Clyde?”

She saw the way his shoulders tensed. “What is it, Rey.”

“Will you just _talk_ to me?”

“There’s nothin’ to talk about.”

“You don’t think so?” She felt herself get a little prickled. “What about that kiss?”

He was still, _so still—_ still not turning to look at her. “Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

“I think you _do_ know.”

He didn’t answer, but a deep sigh escaped him, and she watched his shoulders slump slightly. “What do you _want,_ Rey?”

She took another step, so close she could reach out and touch him, and the temptation proved too great. She let her hand rest against his shoulder, urging him to turn.

He came around slowly, dark eyes meeting hers as his jaw worked furiously. She let her hand slide down his arm, her thumb brushing along the edge of his prosthesis as he sucked in a breath.

“Why did you kiss me, Clyde?”

He swallowed, watching her thumb as it stroked back-and-forth along the hard metal. His mouth parted slightly, blowing out a breath before meeting her gaze. When he answered, his voice was soft, so soft she almost missed it.

“Because every second I have to look at you and not kiss you… it ‘bout near tears me apart.”

She was so close then— it was easy to press up on her toes. To let her hands rest against his chest as she leaned in close. He was so still against her, his breath a featherlight warmth against her mouth as she flicked her eyes to his, seeking any sign of reluctance and finding none.

The first brush of her lips against his was just as sweet as she remembered, the memory breaking through even her fevered state and being the only thing she’d thought about for twenty-four hours. Clyde made some sound in his throat, something almost like a groan but softer— and then his hands were at her waist. Pulling, _bending_ her— tugging her closer as he molded her against him.

She felt the warm press of his palm and the rigid hardness of his prosthesis, both moving up her spine to cradle her hair as he angled her head for better access. His mouth was flush against hers then, and the press of his tongue there pulled a whimper from her as she melted into him even further.

He spun her so fast it almost made her dizzy, pushing her into the wall and crushing her between it and his body. He was kissing her like it was all he’d thought about, and she wondered if maybe it was. If he’d thought about it as much as she had.

His tongue laved over hers, his lips warm and soft and _everything_ she’d wanted _._ She could feel the hard press of something _else_ against her belly, and she moaned low as she pressed her hips deeper into his.

“ _Rey,”_ he groaned, breaking away. “We shouldn’t—”

She didn’t let him finish, reaching to cup his jaw as she pulled him back in for another kiss. She nipped at his lower lip, and he opened for her without thought as she sought more from him. Her body thrummed with a heat she’d never felt before— never so _alive_ as it was in that moment. Never feeling as _right_ as she did just then.

Her hands wandered— over his shoulders, across his ribs, lower still— a palm resting against the front of his jeans to find him hot and hard and _straining_ for her. A deep flutter set off in her belly, and she wondered what it might feel like to have him naked against her— his warm body pressed against hers and her legs wrapped around him as he—

“ _Clyde.”_

He went deathly still, her hand still cupping his clothed cock and his lips resting against hers. He backed away slowly, eyes wild and hair mussed as his gaze darted frantically over every inch of her. His chest rose and fell heavily, and his mouth hung open as he continued to back away.

“We can’t do this.”

Not this again. “Don’t give me that bullshit, Clyde Logan.”

“Rey,” he grated. “This won’t ever work. You’re so young and I’m—”

“A stubborn ass.”

“What?” His mouth gaped open.

“You’re a fuckin’ stubborn ass.”

“Rey, I’m just trying to—”

“Tryin’ to be a damned fool is what you’re bein’.”

He pressed his lips into a tight line. “I’m just thinkin’ about what’s best for you.”

“I don’t _need_ you to think about that. You ever thought of _that?_ I took care of myself okay before you came along, Clyde Logan. I can do it again. Stop tryin’ to make everything be alright for me and just _be with me.”_

He stared after her for several moments, brow knitted and mouth shut tight. He shook his head finally, averting his eyes to the floor. “I’m sorry, Rey.”

He turned then, leaving her frustrated and half a mess all by herself in the dim storeroom. She wanted to scream, to break something, but stamping her foot proved all she could do. She was grateful for Mel’s car key in her pocket, spying the back exit to the bar and stomping out of it, unable to go back into that bar for another second.

Her heart sunk in her chest, and she wondered if it was time to give up on all of it. It was useless, after all. She stalked over to Mel’s car, jumping inside the driver’s seat and quickly cranking it in to turn up the heat. She gripped the steering wheel, staring out at nothing as she replayed everything that had just happened.

He _wanted_ her. That was undeniably clear now. So why was he being so damned stubborn? He was so wrapped up in what he _thought_ was best for her he wasn’t even bothering to _ask_ what she wanted.

_When you’re faced with a man like that… the only thing you can do is make him go out of his way._

Mellie’s words wafted around in her mind, and she huffed out a breath as she stared down at her now-white knuckles that sat tight against the steering wheel.

She nodded to herself, deciding there was only one thing left to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m going to go ahead and write the next chapter and leave you with the thought that this slow burn will _not_ be making it to chapter ten. 👀 
> 
> Mel’s fever trick - not a southerism, but does anyone else’s Mom do this? My mom could spot a fever better than any thermometer. 😂
> 
>  _all gussied up_ \- dressed up 
> 
> _plumb cold_ \- plumb can be used as an informal adjective to mean downright or absolute (I’ve never heard it outside the south but maybe y’all use it too?)
> 
>  _a conniption fit_ \- hissy fit on steroids


	9. I Ain’t No Kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fare thee well to the furthest I ever got at a true blue slow burn. That was incredibly hard. (Coincidentally, so is Clyde.)

* * *

“Tell me how you managed to scare off the birthday girl from her _own damned birthday?”_

Clyde scowled down at the bar, trying again to ignore his brother and failing. He felt foolish enough as it was, having had her in his damn arms not but a half hour ago— so soft and warm and _perfect—_ and he’d left her there all alone. Because he was scared. Because he thought he was doing the right thing.

So why did it feel so _wrong?_

“I don’t wanna talk about it, Jimmy.”

“That’s just too damn bad. That girl— it’s plain to see how she feels about you and you’re cuttin’ your nose off to spite your face.”

“That ain’t it.”

“It ain't? Tell me one good reason why you’re doin’ what you’re doin’.”

Clyde leaned back against the counter behind the bar, scrubbing his hands down his face. “Jimmy… what can I offer a girl like that? She’s had such a damned hard life and she deserves… _everything.”_

Jimmy frowned back at Clyde, drumming his fingers on the bar top as he considered. “Tell me the truth, Clyde. Do you care about her?”

Clyde stared back at Jimmy, his jaw working tensely as the words lingered on his tongue. He blew out a long breath before answering. “Of course I do.”

“And in a perfect world, where you were the same age and you had two hands and there weren’t no other reasons for you to hide behind… don’t you think you’d give that girl everything?”

Clyde looked down to the floor, crossing his arms. “Everything I could.”

“So now tell me,” Jimmy pressed, leaning over the bar a bit. “You really think a couple of years and a hand would really stop you from doing that just as you are?”

Clyde didn’t answer, Jimmy’s words hitting him in the gut with their weight.

“Love ain’t some shiny new car that takes you wherever you want to go without any effort or thought— it’s an old pair of boots that gets you there on your own two feet. It’s messy, and it’s flawed— it’s _hard,_ Clyde, but we do it anyway. Because at the end of the day, we deserve it, scuffs and all.”

Clyde felt a heavy feeling in his belly, feeling more of a fool than he ever had. He felt like a little boy again, scolded for something he’d done wrong and wishing he could take it back. Rey had been _right there—_ and he’s done went and fucked it all to high hell. She might not ever _speak_ to him again, and really, could he blame her?

Clyde hung his head. “I’ve been really stupid, haven’t I.”

Jimmy shrugged. “I mean I ain’t gonna be awardin’ you one of them there Nobel prizes anytime soon— but I figure you ain’t done anythin’ too damning.”

“Do you think she’ll even speak to me again?”

“Aw, Clyde,” Jimmy laughed. “That girl thinks you hung the moon— dumbassery and all. Just let her cool down, and go over there tomorrow with breakfast and a big fat _I’m sorry_ and everything’ll work out.”

Clyde sighed, nodding to himself. “I hope you’re right.”

“Shit,” Jimmy scoffed. “I’m always right.”

* * *

Shutting down the bar had taken twice as long as usual. Ushering out all the drunk folks had been a chore in itself, but explaining to all of them just where Rey had run off too had been downright hard. He felt so damned _guilty—_ he couldn’t believe he’d acted like an ass on her birthday.

Between getting worked up over Fish’s antics and kissing her silly just to push her away— he reckoned he had a lot to apologize for tomorrow. If she would even see him.

He climbed out of his truck, slamming the door behind him and trudging through the snow towards his trailer. He shuffled inside quickly, stomping off his boots on the rug and hanging his coat on the rack by the door.

The living room was lit only in the soft light of that damned Christmas tree, and he feared looking at it, knowing it was just going to make him think of _her_. He imagined he was going to have a hard enough tometime falling to sleep tonight as it was. He huffed out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned around.

He about near had the wind knocked out of him then.

“Rey?”

She sat on his couch, arms crossed and staring back at him.

He felt his mouth hanging open. “How did you—”

“Same way I did that first time. You really oughta get better locks.”

He couldn’t help but chuff out a laugh. “I thought your days of crime were behind you.”

“Well, when it’s a worthy cause…” She pushed off the couch, standing. “I figure I can make an exception.”

“Listen, Rey—”

“No, _you listen.”_ She crossed the space, coming to stand directly in front of him and poking a finger in his chest. “You don’t get to decide what’s best for me. Despite the kid gloves you keep handlin’ me with— I _ain’t_ no kid.”

“I know, Rey, I just—”

“I’ve lived more life than I should have at this point,” she barrelled on. “It’s taught me a lot about what I want and what I damned well _deserve.”_

If she would just let him _talk,_ he could tell her he was sorry, for Christ’s sake. “I didn’t mean—”

“And there ain’t nothin’ or nobody— not you, not my age, not this fickle-as-hell universe— gonna tell me who I can and can’t love.”

“It’s not that I— what?”

She stared back at him resolutely. “You heard me.”

“You— you love me?”

He imagined his face displayed all the shock coursing through him just then, and her eyes softened, her hand coming to rest against his cheek. “Of course I do, there ain’t anything about you that ain’t worth loving.”

Clyde would have a hard time describing the feeling in his chest, some blooming heat that spread outwards to  fill him up. Making him steady, _grounding_ him. He’d never felt happiness like that.

“Now unless you want to sit here and tell me you don’t feel something for me,” she continued quietly. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

_Not feel something for her?_

How could she—

“You don’t think I feel somethin’ for you?”

“I just know it’s a lot I laid on you, and I don’t expect you to feel everything I feel right now— I just don’t want you to shut me out. If you’d just give this a _chance—”_

He couldn’t help it— he outright _laughed._ “Rey— I think I been a goner for you since you shit talked Sixteen Candles.”

Her smile was brilliant, lighting up the room better than every damned light on his tree, and he thought to himself he could get lost in it. Be _happy_ to, really.

He felt her hands over his chest, pressing against his shirt as they slid over his collarbone, creeping upwards to toy with his hair. Her thumbs brushed against his jaw, and she pressed up on her toes, her mouth hovering over his, and this time he wasn’t going to let her do all the work.

He closed the distance, pulling her against him and loving the way she fit there. Like she was made to be his other half, like she was _meant_ to be right here, with him. Her lips were the softest thing he’d ever felt, moving over his sweetly as the scent of her shampoo wafted around him, threatening to do him in.

He cradled her hair in his good hand, angling as her mouth parted in a soft sigh and her tongue swept across his lower lip. She leaned further into him, molding her body flush against his and sighing softly as he deepened the kiss. His tongue moved over hers— hot and wet and _so sweet—_ and he wondered how he could have ever kept from doing this, _just this,_ since the moment he met her.

He hadn’t realized— couldn’t have known what he’d been missing— because he hadn’t thought about it. Hadn’t even considered he’d needed this— not until she’d come along. He thought he’d given up on this because it had seemed futile, but now… now he realized he was just waiting for her.

He felt her fingers at his belt, tugging slightly, and a flicker of warning passed through him. He didn’t want to rush this with her— didn’t want her to think she had to do anything tonight to keep him. He wanted her to know he wasn’t going anywhere. That he was never letting her go.

“Rey,” he breathed, breaking away. “We don’t have to—”

She huffs out a breath. “Still treatin’ me with kid gloves.”

“No, that’s not it, it’s just—”

She backed away, frowning, and for a moment he wanted to kick his own ass. He hadn’t meant to put his foot in his mouth— he’d just wanted to— _shit._

She shook her head, her eyes narrowed in thought as she chewed at her bottom lip. Her hands seemed to move in slow motion, reaching for the hem of her dress. She inched it up, his mouth going dry as knees became thighs, a hint of lace became a bare stomach, all the way up until it was over her head and on the floor.

He felt his mouth hanging open, eyes roving over every inch of her to drink her in and Rey— she was closing the distance again, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He kept his hands at his sides, not quite knowing what to do with himself even as her hands came to rest against his cheeks.

“Look at me, Clyde,” she urged. “ _Look at me._ Do I look like a kid to you?”

Not even a little, she looked—

He swallowed nervously. “No. No, you don’t.”

She grinned, pressing against him. “Then come here.”

She threaded her arms around his neck, her lips moving over his, and Clyde felt the last of his resolve crumble. His hand found her waist, moving to rest against the soft swell of her hip and gripping her there as a groan escaped him.

Her hips rolled against him, brushing against the  hardness that now strained against the zipper of his jeans and _goddamnit_ he was suddenly thinking about what it would be like when he sank inside her. Now that he was allowing himself to have those thoughts… he couldn’t seem to turn them off.

Suddenly he needed all of her— every part of her he could reach. Touch her, _taste her—_ make her his in every way that he could.

His hands crept lower, palming against the backs of her thighs and lifting her— minding the hard metal of his prosthetic as he pulled her into his arms. Her fingers threaded into his hair, tugging, _fisting—_ her tongue against his enough to leave him dizzy as he carried her through his kitchen and into his bedroom.

He kicked the door shut behind him, dipping a knee to the mattress as he spread her out over it. He could still hardly believe she was _here—_ cheeks flushed and eyes dark with want for _him—_ her arms open and inviting and he would be damned if he was going to turn her away again.

He’d never tell this woman no ever again in his life.

Her fingers were at the buttons of his shirt, undoing them one by one as he settled over her— lips seeking and tongue tasting as she made the sweetest sounds he’d ever heard. She pushed it over his shoulders in an impatient gesture, and he needed to feel her bare skin against hers more than anything he’d ever needed before.

He helped her pull off the t-shirt he wore underneath, and then her hands were moving over his chest, fingers brushing along his ribs and abdomen to settle lower at his belt. She pulled it through the loops of his jeans roughly, tossing it aside and working the denim apart just as fast.

Her little fingers were pushing past the band of his briefs, and even the light brush against his cock had him shuddering against her, hissing through his teeth.

“Rey, it’s—” He released a breath slowly. “It’s been awhile.”

“How long?”

He felt embarrassed suddenly. “Years.”

“That actually makes me a little happy.”

“Have you…?”

“Once,” she admitted, and he had to stamp down the possessive rage that flickered inside him. “It was awful.”

He was struck with a need then, a need to make this the best thing she’s ever felt. To obliterate the memory of anyone else.

He said nothing, instead ducking his head and pressing his lips to her collarbone and tracing the length of it as he moved across her chest. He tugged at the strap of her bra, moving it down her arm to press lingering kisses at her shoulder as she squirmed beneath him.

He moved lower, hooking a finger into the cup and pulling it to push upwards at the swell of her breast. Her tits were perfect little mouthfuls, pretty pink nipples just _begging_ for his tongue.

The sound she made when he let his tongue flatten over one taut peak was _breathtaking—_ something like a gasp that ended on a _please_ and Clyde felt every bit of it deep inside. He knew he would hear that sound long after they were done here— knew he would never forget it.

He pulled the hard little bud into his mouth, sucking that sound right out of her and watching as her mouth fell open and her back arched to press further into his mouth.

“So damned beautiful.” He grazed the slick nub with his teeth, swirling his tongue around it. “I didn’t think I’d ever— never thought to _hope—”_ He pulled at her nipple, releasing it with a soft _pop_ as she whimpered. “There ain’t anyone I wanna do this with but you.”

“ _Clyde,”_ she sighed, hands gripping his shoulders. “I wanna feel you.”

He felt his cock twitch, just the _idea_ of slipping into her— this tiny thing beneath him—

He could hear his blood pounding in his ears.

She was arching, her hands reaching behind her and then her bra went slack as she pulled it away to toss it aside and _fuck_ if she wasn’t as close to perfect as anything he’s ever seen.

He let his eyes sweep down the length of her, his fingers trailing in their wake to sweep over the slight curve of her belly to linger at the lacy band of her underwear. He let his gaze flick back to her face, watching as he pushed beneath to let two fingers part her already slick folds. Her mouth parted, her eyes hooded and dreamy, and he pushed further to coat his fingers in her fluids.

“You’re so _wet,”_ he marveled, amazed that he could make her this way.

“ _Clyde,”_ she gasped, his fingers pressing at her entrance.

When he pushed inside, some sound escaped her— and he wanted to swallow it whole. He leaned upwards to capture her mouth, nipping at her lower lip.

She was so damned _tight—_ her slick channel gripping his fingers, and he moaned into her mouth just thinking about what it would be like when she fit so snugly around his cock.

He pressed deeper, curling his fingers to stroke at her inner walls as his thumb rolled against the slick bud of her clit. He rubbed deep circles into it, Rey undulating her hips into his hand and making needy little noises into his mouth.

“So sweet.” He licked into her mouth, sucking on her tongue lightly as his fingers ground into her. “You’re a _dream_ , Rey.” His thumb quickened the pace, circling her clit as his fingers pumped slow, steady strokes. “I wanna make you feel so _good—_ I wanna give you _everything.”_

 _“_ Clyde, I—” Her nails dug into his arms, a sharp breath escaping her. “That feels— _ah—_ I’m gonna—”

“Come on, sweetheart.” He twisted his fingers deep, seeking that spongy patch inside that left her clawing at his back. “Let _go_.”

If he could capture that moment when she came apart— the way her body trembled and her eyes fluttered closed— he would replay it again and again and _again._ He’d never tire of it.

He pressed his lips to hers, feeling the way they moved against his softly, her tongue tracing the seam to push inside. She squirmed, fingers finding his jeans and tugging insistently and he felt her pushing them over his hips, his briefs going right along with them. He helped her pull them off, kicking them away before she pulled her own underwear over her hips— leaving nothing between them.

He couldn’t help the way he ground against her thigh, harder than he’d been in his entire life and practically _shaking_ with a need to be inside her.

Then he felt her hands at the edge of his prosthetic, and he tensed slightly as he was reminded of it. For a moment he’d let himself pretend.

“Wouldn’t it be more comfortable for you if…?” She traced a finger against the edge, and he clenched his lips together, looking away from her. He felt her hands at his jaw then, pulling his gaze back to her. “Hey, it’s okay.” He shut his eyes, and her lips found his sweetly. “It don’t bother me, Clyde. Not in the slightest. It’s a part of you. I love _all_ of you.”

Clyde hadn’t ever been much for idioms, but when Rey said those words— he understood the phrase _music to my ears._ Rey’s love was like birds chirping and bells ringing and it filled him up in a way he couldn’t hardly describe.

It was easier than breathing, letting his feelings out. “I love you too, Rey. So damned much. It scares me a little.”

“Don’t be scared,” she murmured, kissing his cheek. “Ain’t nothin’ to be scared of.”

“It’s all so soon, and so _sudden—”_

Her lips found his, silencing him. “Clyde Logan, I don’t care about the time between us, don’t care about our age or the time it took me to get here. I only care about the days we got left— and I wanna spend them with _you_.”

“ _Rey.”_

She let her hand fall to his prosthesis again, squeezing lightly. “Take it off.”

He raised up slowly on one hand, giving her a long look before flicking his eyes to the dark arm. He pushed upwards to sit, frowning as he detached it, pulling it away slowly to let it rest in his lap. He couldn’t glance back at Rey, afraid he would see some sort of pity in her eyes and knowing that would ruin him.

When he felt her fingers tracing the remnants of his arm, pulling the severed end from his lap, his eyes widened as he finally allowed himself to look at her. She pulled the end of what remained of his arm to her lips, lingering there.

“ _All_ of you,” she repeated softly. “I love it all.”

He felt heat surge through him, a tightness in his chest that he hadn’t even known was there beginning to unravel with the softness of her lips on his skin.

Suddenly he didn’t care about any of the reasons he’d been holding onto. He didn’t care about her age or his hand— he only cared about _her._ He realized _nothing_ else mattered but her.

He pushed her into the mattress, covering her with his body and feeling her bend to his shape— fitting against him. Her hands were _everywhere_ , touching him in a way that made rational thought difficult. His cock slotted against her center— the warm wet of her cunt slick against him and he rolled his hips into hers instinctively.

“Rey.” He broke away, his forehead resting against hers and his breath leaving him in labored pants. “I need to get a—”

“Implant,” she breathed. “Got it when I was eighteen. If you wanted to…”

_If he wanted to?_

“There ain’t nothin’ I want more than to feel you wrapped around my cock,” he grit out. “ _Nothing.”_

Then he was kissing her again, dizzied with her kiss as her legs wrapped around him and he was dipping— his cock pressing at her entrance and _goddamnit._

“Fuck _me_ , Rey,” he hissed. “You’re so damned _tight_.”

He’d only managed to get the head inside her, her cunt fisting him like a vice, and he saw her expression tense uncomfortably. His lips covered her face, pressing kisses into her cheeks and temples and mouth.

“Relax, sweetheart. _Relax.”_ He held her close as he urged himself to be still. To resist the urge to surge into her. He fed another inch inside her, and she sucked in a breath. “You okay?”

She nodded fervently, quietly urging him to continue. He sank into her slowly, pushing deeper until every inch of him was rooted inside her, her warmth enveloping his cock and her hips flush with his.

He couldn’t stop kissing her, imprinting his praises into her skin— telling her how good she was, how much he loved her— just like this.

“Clyde,” she breathed. “I think you can— I _need_ you to—”

He could die like this, he thought. That slow drag of his cock against her inner walls followed by the heavy push back inside. It was more than he’d ever thought it could be.

“ _Fuck,_ Rey,” he groaned, feeling the slickness of her tight channel coat his cock as he picked up the pace. “You’re perfect. So fuckin’ perfect. Tell me how you feel.”

“You feel so good,” she sighed prettily. “It feels _so_ good, Clyde.”

Her knees were so tight at his hips it was near painful— but he relished the pressure— cherished the way she clung to him, as if she couldn’t let him go. He wanted this to be everything for her, he wanted to give her _everything he had._

“Tell me what you need, Rey.” He jolted her body with a rough thrust, a gasp escaping her. “Wanna feel you come.”

“Can you— can you touch me?”

It was only slightly awkward, propping up on his injured arm, but he leaned to one side to let his hand slide down her belly, finding the swollen bud of her clit and rubbing at it furiously. With every swipe he was slamming into her, soft cries escaping her as she tensed beneath him.

“ _Right there.”_ Her hands clawed at his shoulders, her face burrowing into his neck and he focused every bit of his attention to that same spot.

He was so close— that liquid heat building low in his belly and blooming outwards— and he closed his eyes as he stroked into her.

“So good, sweetheart. You feel _so good_ around my cock. Nothin’ feels better than you.”

She was panting into his ear, every breath leaving her with a whimper, and he knew she was right there at the edge. When she tumbled over— hands clawing and heart racing and _how she arched into him—_ he finally allowed himself to let go.

He held her close as he came, his cock twitching as his cum flooded her insides with heavy pulses, his lips moving over her jaw messily as he let out a groan. He held her close as he filled her up, remaining inside her for several moments even after his cock finally went still. Enjoying the way they fit together.

She winced slightly when he finally slid outwards, and Clyde pressed his lips to hers heavily. “You alright?”

She nodded, curling into his chest as he moved to lay on his side. “Perfect.”

He let his lips linger at her forehead, grinning. “Yeah, I’d have to agree with you there.”

His hand traced the length of her, trailing a slow path down her ribs and over her hip only to slide back upwards to do it all over again. Slow, steady motions over her skin to remind himself that she was real. That this _actually happened._

Part of him still couldn’t believe it had.

“That was one hell of a birthday present,” she sighed after a while, grinning up at him sweetly.

Clyde’s mouth curled upwards, ducking his head to kiss her softly. Just because he was able to. “Gimme a little while and I’ll give you another.”

She bit her lip, beaming before nestling into him, her head settling under his chin as he rested his against her hair. He didn’t know how many moments passed before a thought struck him, and his brow furrowed in thought.

“Hey, Rey?”

“Hm?”

“Where’s Mel’s car?”

She laughed a little, shrugging her shoulders. “Parked out back.”

“And now what if I’d went back there before coming inside? Would have put a wrench in your sneaky little plan.”

“I wasn’t worried,”she chuckled softly. “Knew you wasn’t going to get out of your own way.”

He frowned when she continued to giggle lightly, not getting the joke. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She looked up at him, reaching to press her lips to his with a smile. “Nothing,” she hummed. “Nothing at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse me while I work this country smut out of my system.


	10. Good Manners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clyde cunnilingus coming atcha.

* * *

 

Rey wasn’t sure how many hours had passed between the time the pair of them had finally given in to exhaustion and now— grey light of morning peeking in through the curtains in Clyde’s room. A slow stretch revealed sore muscles she hadn’t even known existed, and the pleasant burn brought a smile to her face.

He was stretched out beside her, fast asleep on his stomach with his arms shoved under his pillow and his hair draped across his face— fluttering slightly with each breath that escaped him. She rolled on her side, gingerly pushing back the thick weight of his hair and letting her thumb graze his cheek there lightly.

He seemed so much younger in sleep— mouth parted slightly and his brow missing that slight furrow of worry he tended to carry. He looked… peaceful. It made her heart swell with a tenderness she’d never felt before.

After all he’d been through— he deserved something good. She really wanted to be that for him. To at least try.

“You’re starin’ at me.”

He cracked open one eye, peering up at her sleepily, and she shrugged one shoulder. “And what if I am?”

His mouth stretched in a yawn, and he threw an arm around her to pull her close. “Woman, I gotta sleep sometime.”

She pressed her lips to his collarbone, tracing the shape of it as he hummed low in his chest. “You complainin’, old man?”

He snorted, his right hand squeezing at her hip. “ _Old man?”_

She grinned against his skin, continuing the line of kisses she was making there. “You’re the one that’s been so hung up on age. Reckon you must be tired after last night. Should I close the curtains?”

He pushed up, moving to cage her underneath his body with narrowed eyes. “You think you’re bein’ cute right now.”

“Maybe.” She let her fingers graze over his hips, enjoying the firmness of his ass, and he canted against her, his cock already rigid in the early hours of morning.

He ducked his head to press his lips to her throat, nipping softly at the skin there. Her head tilted back, feeling his teeth graze her skin.

“Maybe I’m too old for this.” His lips moved over her shoulder, skirting down her body to let his tongue trace at her collarbone. “Hm?”

“ _Clyde_.” Her voice was too strained— too _needy—_ and she knew then that he was teasing her.

His mouth kept a singular path, his tongue lingering to flatten over her nipple before trailing along the underside of her breast. She felt a warm press at her ribs, a scrape of teeth before he was moving— traveling over her belly and her navel and _oh—_ she was practically vibrating in that moment.

“Spread your legs,” he murmured into her skin, lips brushing along her hip bone. “Open for me.”

She did as he asked, his fingers tickling the soft skin of her inner thigh before a thumb rubbed a soothing circle just below where she wanted him.

“Do you reckon I’m too old for this?” She felt his words hum against her skin, his lips pressing a kiss near the top of her thigh and she couldn’t help the way her mouth fell open in a quiet gasp. “Or do think maybe you’ve changed your mind?”

“ _Clyde.”_

 _“_ That ain’t an answer, sweetheart.”

“It was just a joke. Of course you aren’t— _please.”_

“Well, you did say please. We reward good manners in this house.”

She felt his breath against her center, warm and _right there_ and she bit her lip to hold back the needy sounds that threatened to escape her.

“You’re so damned pretty,” he murmured, and she felt a finger trace seam of her lightly. “So soft and pretty.”

“ _Clyde_ ,” she said breathlessly. “I ain’t ever— no one’s ever done that to me.”

She spared a glance below, finding his eyes _dark_ and _hungry_ and the _look on his face—_ she thought this was _exactly_ the right thing to say.

“Never?”

She shook her head. “Never.”

He leaned in, closing his eyes as he let his nose brush against the soft curls between her legs, the tip _just_ grazing that sensitive bundle inside and she sucked in a breath. When his tongue first lapped through her folds— it was slow, _testing—_ moving at a pace as if just to taste her.

And the _sounds_ he made.

Something like a satisfied growl, and then he was doing it _again_ and Rey’s back bowed from the bed beyond her control.

“I’m the only one who knows what you taste like.” His voice was thicker then— rasping and hard and _again_ he licked at her cunt just to taste. “Only me.”

“ _Yes,”_ she hissed. “Just you.”

“You’re so _sweet.”_ She felt him apply just a bit more pressure, his tongue circling her clit in slow strokes and then it was _her_ making those sounds. “I could do this _all_ day.”

“I need you to— _Clyde.”_

“Shh. I got you. I know.”

He dipped his head to tease her entrance, making one last slow path up the seam of her and flicking at the swollen bundle just above. She was just about ready to plead again, to _beg_ if she had to— and then his mouth was at her clit and there was _nothing_ slow about it.

Every hard pull of his lips brought some wave of electricity and sensation, and Rey felt it like a tingle in every nerve ending as it washed over her. Her hands were moving, _desperate_ for purchase— settling in his hair and _tugging_ because she needed him closer. Needed _more._

A slight shift of his body before a heavy press at her entrance, and there was almost no warning before he let his fingers slip inside. There was only the sudden fullness— twisting, _grinding—_ moving in time with his lips and tongue until she was nothing but heat and sensation and tugging hands.

She couldn’t help the way her back arched, couldn’t hold back from the way she pressed further into his mouth. She felt her muscles wound tight, her entire body coiled and she felt _so much pressure_ . She just needed him to— “ _Just like that.”_ She pulled at his hair with enough force that it _had_ to be painful— but she couldn’t stop. She was so close. So _fucking_ close. “ _Right there.”_

She would be embarrassed by the sounds that left her mouth as she came— were she of sounder mind in that moment. But her legs were trembling and his tongue was still _moving—_ pulling wave after wave from her until she was _begging—_ for what she wasn’t sure.

He only pulled away when she was boneless, when she was utterly _spent—_ and she closed her eyes, struggling to catch her breath as heat still radiated in her chest.

She registered the way he crawled over her— his nose brushing along her jaw as he left a line of kisses along her skin and she could _feel_ the slick wet still lingering there. She clenched her thighs to staunch the rekindled flare of arousal there.

“Not too bad for an old man,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble at her throat as he continued to brush his lips over her skin.

She couldn’t help but grin, pinching his waist as he wriggled away. “You’re actually a bit of a shit. Aren’t you.”

“Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” he chuckled. She felt the way he tilted his hips, still so _hard_ for her, and he hummed softly as he slid against her still-slick folds. “I might even have one more in me.”

She turned her face to let her lips graze his cheek, his hair tickling her lightly. “Mm, unless you’re too tired.”

She felt a huff of air against her neck, Clyde shaking his head softly as his hand gripped at her hip. “I’ll _show_ you tired.”

Rey didn’t care if she ever slept again.

* * *

For all his posturing, Clyde _did_ doze off sometime after he’d taken her again, and she left him sprawled out on his bed, pressing a kiss to his hair and lingering only a moment to enjoy the view. She let her fingers graze over his prosthesis perched on his nightstand, smiling to herself as she happily remembered how he’d looked when she’d told him it didn’t bother her the night before.

She could tell how much he clung to the idea that he wasn’t whole without his hand— could sense it in his words, in his actions— even the way he carried himself. She didn’t even notice it, really— too busy focusing on his mouth and his eyes and everything else that she’d fallen in love with over this last month.

To her— he was more whole than she was. He was _perfect_.

She was still grinning when she flounced out of his room in nothing but her discarded underwear and the button down he’d worn the night before, haphazardly doing up half the buttons for some semblance of modesty.

She found all sorts of food stuffs in his kitchen, quickly determining that Clyde did not skimp when it came to meals, and she began to pull things out of the fridge in the hopes to make them both breakfast before she woke him up again.

It was such a simple thing— stocked cabinets and a full fridge— but It forced Rey’s mind to a different time. A time when everything was a fight. When everything had to be  _ earned.  _ Sometimes when she let her mind wander she could still feel that awful place. She shuddered, shaking away those thoughts. That place was long gone— and things were good now. 

She had all she needed.

She blushed through the entire process of cracking eggs— a pleasant soreness between her legs with every movement and images in her head of his body as it moved against hers.

She could really get used to this.

She worked quietly in the kitchen for a good half hour as she did up some eggs and bacon, setting them aside to start on toast before she heard the heavy shuffle of steps behind her.

She felt him before she saw him, arms encircling her waist and pulling her against him as he nuzzled into her hair.

“Something smells good.”

She noticed he’d donned his prosthesis again, and strangely she wanted to tell him he didn’t need it. She found herself wanting him to be completely comfortable with her— but she knew that might take time. “Figured you might need to get your strength back up after all that activity.”

“You’re playin’ with fire there, sweetheart.” She bit back a grin as she popped some bread into his toaster, leaning back into him as his hands began to wander at the edge of his shirt. “Is there anything under this?”

She couldn’t help the way her mouth split wide then. “Nope.”

“ _Fuckin’_ hell,” he groaned. “You might actually be the death of me.”

“Just think— if you hadn’t been so damned stubborn we could have been doing this for a little while now.”

He sighed against her hair. “Don’t remind me.”

She turned to pull him down for a kiss, rising up on her tiptoes and threading her fingers through his hair. “It don’t matter. You’re here now.”

She felt his lips curl against hers, his good arm wrapped around her as he pulled her flush into his bare chest. When he finally let her go, she glanced over at the clock on the wall, frowning.

“I ain’t even told Mel where I am. Think she’s worried?”

Clyde blew out a breath. “As much as I would like to think otherwise— her night probably wasn’t too far off from ours. She’s probably out like a light in that damned Bang’s bed right now.”

“You don’t like him?”

“Asshole done sucked my arm off once,” he grumbled.

Her eyebrows raised in question. “Do what now?”

He shook his head. “It’s a long story. Point is— Mel is fine.”

“Alright then,” Rey assented. “What are we going to tell her about this?”

“What do you _want_ to tell her?”

Rey ducked her head sheepishly. “Everything.”

She might never get enough of Clyde’s smile— he just looked so _happy_. “Well… I reckon we’ll tell her everything then.”

She beamed, hearing the toast pop behind her and turning quickly to grab for it. “I’ll just text her after breakfast from your phone if that’s okay. So she don’t worry.”

“That reminds me.”

She wheeled around to face him, cocking her head. “What?”

“I’ll be right back.”

He took off down the hall, disappearing back into the bedroom, and she went back to spreading jam on their toast before putting everything on two plates to carry them to the table. She was just pouring some orange juice when Clyde returned, holding out a little wrapped box.

“I forgot to give you your present last night… was too busy bein’ a stubborn ass, I guess.” His eyes crinkled at the corners as he held the box out to her, and she sat the jug of juice down on the table as she took it.

“What is it?”

“Open it.”

She tore at the paper, prying off the lid to the box and pulling out what lay inside with a confused expression. “You got me a phone?”

He shrugged, scratching at his neck. “I noticed you don’t have one… and well, there’s been times I found myself wanting to call or even try my hand at that damned texting thing and I just _couldn’t_ so I thought… is it dumb?”

She shook her head, smiling softly. “No. It ain’t. It’s really sweet of you.”

“Done programmed in mine and Mel’s and even Jimmy and Earl’s numbers— but don’t be callin’ Earl unless it’s a last resort because you don’t ever know what the hell he’s up to.”

“Thank you,” she gushed. “This was real thoughtful.”

“Might have had ulterior motive…”

“Either way.” She moved to kiss him again. “Thank you.”

He nodded, leaning into her kiss before she broke away to finish pouring juice. “I ain’t ever had one actually. My daddy kept saying he was goin’ to. But… well.”

“They’re handy, I guess. I just use mine for the necessities. Yours can do a bit more fancy things.” He took a seat behind his table, shrugging. “You can put more numbers in it if you need to, also.” He frowned as he stabbed at a bit of egg. “Maybe not Fish’s.”

Rey’s lips curled into a grin. “I’d think you’d have realized by now you ain’t got no reason to be jealous.”

She could be mistaken, but she was half-certain she saw a blush at his cheeks. “Ain’t jealous.”

“Oh?” She shrugged as she took a sip of juice. “Seemed like you were last night.”

“Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” he muttered.

“That’s too bad,” she sighed. “I sort of liked it.”

He peeked up at her, raising an eyebrow. “Did you now.”

“Mhm.” She nibbled at the edge of her toast. “In fact I might have half a mind to prove just how little a cause you got to be jealous after breakfast. If I needed to.”

Clyde blew out a breath, shaking his head. “The death of me,” he murmured, grinning into his plate.

Rey was smiling as she dug into her own food, thinking to herself that she didn’t reckon he minded too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s quiet. Too quiet. Hm. 
> 
> Also, Clyde’s mouth was too full to use too many Southerisms I reckon. 🥰


	11. How Am I Doin’, Mister?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is nothing but fluff and smut— but these two deserve this little interlude before I move into what I’m referring to in my head as _Act Two_. 😂❤️

* * *

She’d been his for less than twenty-four hours, and it was already the best twenty-four hours of his life.

Ever since he’d met Rey— really got to _know_ her— it had felt like he was living with some sort of heavy weight on his chest. It kept him bound and tethered and made it seem as if he could never really get the air he needed. Having her now— it was like taking that first rush of air. She was like _breathing,_ it was so easy.

He hated that it had taken him so long to figure that out.

When he dropped her off at Mel’s shop later that morning— he kissed just because he could. He pulled her against him, cradling her head and ducking and the way she sighed into his mouth— well. He wondered what in the name of all that’s holy had kept him from doing just this since the day he met her.

He knew Mel was watching from inside— knew that old gossip all in purple would be watching too— but he found he didn’t care too much. The thing he cared about most was right there, tugging at his jacket and pressing up on her toes to take a little more.

“Have Mel drop you off at the bar after ya’ll close up.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You lookin’ to take me home there, Mister?”

He couldn’t help the slight tensing of his shoulders because what _was_ it about her referring him that way that made him feel dirty? Maybe it was the way he sort of liked it.

Rey didn’t fail to notice.

“You didn't answer me, _Mister_ Logan.”

“After,” he murmured, chewing on his lip a little as he resisted the urge to haul her over his shoulder and back to his house.

“After?”

He nodded. “Just after.”

He watched her go then, grinning like an idiot and well-reminded of that fact when he caught Mel’s eye from behind the window. She smirked at him, and Clyde just shrugged before heading back around his truck to climb inside. He knew later he’d have a huge _I told you so_ moment to deal with— more than likely from both Mel _and_ Jimmy— but it was worth it.

When he cast one last look inside the shop as he cranked up the truck and caught Rey giving him a shy wave from inside— he thought to himself that just about anything was worth that.

Even— and he was shuddering at the thought— telling Jimmy.

* * *

It was barely past lunch when Jimmy came strolling into the bar, grinning like a possum and strutting like a rooster in a hen house. Clyde groaned, bracing himself for what was surely to be an exasperating conversation.

Jimmy settled onto a stool, letting his chin rest at his fist. “Good morning.”

Clyde frowned, his eyes flicking to the clock. “It’s after one.”

“Oh, no.” Jimmy shook his head. “I was more commentin’ on _your_ mornin’.”

“Mel?”

Jimmy nodded. “Ain’t no secrets between siblings, little brother. I told you that.”

Clyde blew out a breath, leaning back against the inner bar and extending his arms in surrender. “Go on. Get it out of your system.”

“I’m just sayin’ is all,” Jimmy laughed. “ _Some_ of us might have seen this comin’.”

“You want a medal or somethin’?”

“Na, beer on you will be just fine.”

Clyde rolled his eyes. “ _All_ your beers are on me.”

“Reckon one more wont hurt then,” Jimmy smirked.

Clyde shakes his head as he reaches under the bar for a mug, moving to fill it from the tap. “Ain’t you got work to do or something?”

“It’s my day off,” Jimmy hmphed, “and you know I like to spend my day off with my favorite little brother.”

“ _Harrassin’_ you mean,” Clyde muttered, sliding the beer across the bar top.

Jimmy gestured beneath the bar. “Oh shut up and get you a beer. We’re celebratin’.”

“Are we.”

“Well yeah,” Jimmy urged. “Now that you ain’t goin’ around your ass to get to your elbow.”

Clyde grinned despite himself as he filled his own glass. “I guess you got me there.”

Jimmy held out his own glass, waiting until Clyde clinked his against it before they both took a swig. “Seriously,” Jimmy offered with a little less teasing. “I’m happy for you. That’s a good girl you got there.”

Clyde was still smiling around the lip of his mug. “Trust me. I know.”

“ _Now_ just gotta work on gettin’ a baby in her—”

Clyde sputtered around his beer. “Do _what_ now? Christ, Jimmy. It ain’t even been forty-eight hours.”

“You ain’t all that spry anymore.” Jimmy shrugged, grinning wide. “Don’t want the other kids thinkin’ your little Logan’s granddaddy.”

“If it ain’t one thing it’s another,” Clyde grumbled.

“We’ll get you good and settled. Don’t you worry.”

“How about I take her on a date first. Hold the wedding bells and baby shoes off for awhile.”

“Hey,” Jimmy laughed. “I’m mostly just pullin’ your leg. _Mel_ on the other hand…”

Clyde groaned, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Shit.”

“Yep.”

Sometimes he hated being a Logan.

* * *

She pushed through the bar doors just after five— a grin pasted on her face that just about lit up the whole bar. Clyde was only a _little_ wary as he watched the door after her— breathing a tiny sigh of relief when Mel didn’t follow in after her. Least _that_ was on hold. For now.

Rey plopped down on a barstool— propping her chin on her fists as he leaned over the bar to say hello properly. Her eyes fluttered closed as her mouth met his, and then she was humming with content as he slowly pulled away.

“So how was Mel? Did she rake you over the coals?”

“Na.” Rey waved him off. “Pretty sure she’s savin’ that for you.”

Clyde snorted. “Course she is.”

“More importantly—” Rey’s eyes narrowed just a tad. “—where you think you’re takin’ me tonight?”

“Well that ain’t none of your concern. Is it.”

She wrinkled her nose as he turned away from her— hanging the glass he’d just cleaned before giving her his attention again.

“Well,” Rey laughed softly. “Guess we’ll see. Won’t we.”

“Yeah,” Clyde grinned. “Guess we will.”

* * *

It was after dark when they pulled up— and the way Rey’s face lit up— it made the secrecy worth it.

“A drive-in?”

Clyde nodded. “Reckon I should take you on a proper date.”

She smirked. “Considering you done had your way with me every which way from Sunday?”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “Considering that.”

She furrowed her brow then— looking as if she was thinking about something before finally speaking again. “You only bring me here ‘cause Fish wanted to?”

Clyde felt a prickling sensation in his chest. “He did?”

“You remember I said _no,”_ she chuckled at his irritated expression.

“Ain’t a lot of options around here for dates. Besides— here I don’t gotta share you with anyone.” He felt his mouth pull down in a frown. “Reckon Fish had the same idea,” he grumbled.

She threaded her fingers through his. “And yet look who got me here.”

Clyde couldn’t help but grin. “Guess you’re right.”

“Course I am,” she smiled back as she leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. “Now what are we watchin’?”

“That’s the fun of this place,” Clyde explained. “Don’t know what you’re gonna get till it starts.”

“That seems like a gamble to me.”

“It is— reckon they thought it made for a nice gimmick.”

He parked the truck near the back of the lot— leaving it running to let the heat linger and stave off the icy December wind of outside. Rey pushed up the middle console to snuggle closer to him— and he tucked her into his side easily as her hand still remained folded in his.

“It was sweet of you to bring me,” she told him quietly.

“Ain’t anything I’ve wanted to do more than this.”

She grinned up at him. “Anything?”

“Well,” he bit back his own grin. “Maybe _one_ thing— but we done took care of that. Several times.”

“You’re a mess,” she laughs.

“For you.”

She leaned against his shoulder again— just as the lights of the massive screen went up and an old school timer began to count down from three.

It took them several moments— to realize what they were watching.

Clyde wasn’t even sure he could believe it— surely they weren’t _that_ unlucky— but then there was a telltale shock of red hair and a gaggle of broody teenagers and he couldn’t help it.

He burst out laughing.

“How is it possible you picked the _one_ night they were showing Sixteen Candles?”

Clyde shook his head. “Damned if I know. Maybe the universe is conspirin’ to change our minds.”

“More likely _Mel_ than the universe,” she laughed.

“Can’t argue with that,” he sighed.

“Besides,” she murmured. “This just means we don’t gotta watch the movie.”

Her fingers trailed over the buttons of his flannel— and he felt his mouth go a little dry. His head snapped around warily just as her fingers pushed between the gap she’d made between the buttons. “There’s _people_ out here, Rey.”

She leaned up to brush her lips along his jaw— and he felt his resolve crumbling. “It’s dark out. Can’t nobody see us back here in the last row.”

His eyes fluttered closed as he felt her hand trailing lower to tease at his jeans. “This ain’t— this ain’t what I brought you out here for.”

“I know.” Her other hand moved to tangle in his hair— turning his head to find his mouth with hers. “Do you want me to stop?”

She’d managed to work apart his zipper then—her fingers teasing his clothed cock underneath and _hell no_ he didn’t want her to stop. He managed to shake his head to let her know as much.

He held his breath as she worked him free of his briefs— her small hand wrapped around his cock making him seem impossibly larger, and when she started to work him slowly— Clyde damned near bit off his own tongue.

“There’s somethin’ I wanna try.” Her voice in his ear made him shiver just a little. “Push your seat back.”

He scrambled for the lever at the side— pulling his seat back as far as it would go. She pressed a kiss to his mouth— giving him a light squeeze below for good measure and then she was sinking— Clyde’s breath shallow and his heart racing because _was she really going to—?_

“Never done this,” she told him quietly— breath warm against his cock and Clyde’s fingers balled into a fist so tight he could nearly break them. “I might not be no good at it.”

He doubted that— he really did.

“Rey, if you don’t—”

Her tongue silenced him— pressing to the head to trace around the lip there slowly— and then pulling the entire thing into her mouth as the hot wet there enveloped him. Clyde felt his eyes roll back into his head— resisting the urge to grab her hair, her clothes, just _her—_ needing more of her mouth and somehow less because this was _killing_ him.

He was afraid to look back down— but when he spared a glance to his lap the moan that left him was _embarrassing—_ her lips stretched so wide around him it seemed like he could barely fit and it _shouldn’t_ have been so damned pleasing but it _was._

He watched helplessly as she pushed down his length— tongue pressed to the underside as he sunk deeper at an _agonizingly_ slow pace— even as her fist was still wrapped around the base. He could feel the moment when it became too much— her movement ceasing and her breath huffing out through her nostrils with just a little more effort and when she tried to force him deeper— she came up sputtering a little.

“I’m sorry, I—” She furrowed her brow as she made to catch her breath. “I can do better.”

“You do any better and I’m going to keel over,” he rasped. “ _Fuck_ , Rey.”

She beamed up at him, her expression turning damned near predatory. “Oh yeah?”

He nodded with great effort, and she bent again to bring her mouth back to his cock. He had to bite his fist as her tongue swept completely up the underside of his shaft from base to to tip— a satisfied hum sounding from her chest and just about ruining him.

“ _Rey.”_

She pulled back up his length with her lips pressed tight— and he couldn’t resist then— pulling her hair back to watch her better. He could come like this— the slight bulge in her cheek as the head of him slipped there, the way her lips were taut with the stretch of him, her fucking _eyes_ as she glanced up at him— looking as if she was _enjoying_ this as much as he was.

She released him with a slick _pop—_ running her tongue over her bottom lip. “How am I doin’, _Mister?_ Am I doin’ okay?

She flattened her tongue at his glans— giving an experimental flick as he hissed out a breath through his teeth. “ _Rey.”_

She sank her lips over the head— suckling with just enough pressure to make him squirm before pulling away again. “That ain’t an answer, _Mister.”_

He couldn’t take it anymore.

He hauled her up— crushing his mouth to hers roughly as teeth collided and tongues pushed inside and he was so _hot_ with this fevered need she made him feel and he felt like he might _burst_ from it.

“I think you’re teasin’ me, little girl,” he ground out— breath still labored. “Is that what you’re doin’?”

He could feel her answering grin. “Maybe.”

“That ain’t real nice of you,” he murmured— tongue swiping at her lower lip. “Not nice at all.”

“Mm,” she hummed. “Sure ain't.”

He reached down behind her— scrambling for the lever underneath the middle and pulling at it roughly until the entirety of what was the rest of his seat extended back as far as it was able to match the driver’s side.

“Turn over.” He let his mouth skirt along her jaw. “On your front.”

He enjoyed the way her breath hitched before she moved to do as he asked— her body having to curl into itself a little even with her tiny frame— moving up on her knees in a way that pushed her ass into the air.

Clyde’s mouth went a little dry.

He ran his hands slowly over the leggings— _those damned leggings—_ she wore, enjoying the curve of her ass for a moment before hooking his fingers into her coverings and tugging it all over her hips to leave her naked from the waist down.

One press of his fingers from his good hand had him groaning because she was _so wet already_ and he couldn’t help the way he let two fingers slip inside to twist and curl as she squirmed— only to pull them away just as quick.

“ _Clyde.”_

“Do you like bein’ teased?” He pushed back inside her slowly to stroke a lazy rhythm in and out. “Do you, little girl?”

The way she _clenched_ around his fingers— he thought maybe she enjoyed this strange dynamic just a little bit too.

“N-no, Clyde— I don’t— please just—”

“You did say please,” he murmured. “Good manners, and all.”

It was difficult— angling his too-large body over hers. Even in the extended cab of his truck it was nearly too much. It took a prop of his hand against the seat near her ear and a curling of his body over hers that had his mouth at her throat and then he was _there—_ cock nudging at her entrance to push inside and she was _so wet_ and the _sound_ that tore out of him was nearly inhuman.

The odd angle at which they were situated had his mouth just near her ear— and he teased at the soft lobe with his teeth as he slid out of her only to press back inside.

“Ya know,” he breathed against the shell of her ear. “We’re pretty far away from another car— and it’s so _dark—_ but if somebody _really_ looked they might be able to see what we’re doing back here.” She grew tighter around his cock as a soft whimper escaped her. “That what you want? Someone to see me doing this to you?”

She shook her head against his seat cushions— but another strangled sound tore from her chest and he dipped into her a little faster. “ _No,”_ she moaned finally.

“Good answer,” he growled. “Ain’t nobody goin’ to see you like this. Nobody but me.”

“ _Just you,”_ she huffed out. “ _Clyde.”_

“ _Fuck.”_ He could already feel that release building deep— the forced closeness of their position causing him to hit _deeper,_ forcing her to take _more_ of him. “Can you touch yourself like this? Wanna feel you come.”

He felt the brush of her fingers along the base of his cock as she reached between her legs to fondle her clit— and he let his teeth graze against the bare skin at her shoulder as he fucked her harder.

“Good girl.” A fisted squeeze from her cunt as a noticeable shiver passed over. She _liked_ that. He lowered his voice to brush softly against her ear. “ _Such a good girl.”_

He felt the way her hand picked up its pace beneath her— the tips of her fingers colliding haphazardly with his cock as he stroked into her and the way her inner walls squeezed against him— she was so _close._

This isn’t what he’d had in mind— when he’d thought it bring her on a date. He’d thought this part would have come after (and it _will)_ but seeing the way she _wanted_ him like that—it made his chest tight and his blood roar and he wondered if he’ll _ever_ get enough of her.

He sincerely doubted it.

He could feel it then— that hot pressure that kept building and building and _building—_ threatening to spill over as he was reduced to short and shallow strokes that nearly had him collapsing against her. It was only when he felt Rey begin to shake underneath him did he let go— using his prosthetic to brace himself against the floorboard below as his good hand wrapped around her hip to pull her tight against him.

He couldn’t hold back the garbled sounds that escaped him— buried deep inside her as he filled her with his cum and nothing but the harsh sounds of her breathing to mingle with his own.

He might have been crushing her— the way he was pressed against her back— but Rey didn’t complain. His lips moved over the bend of her shoulder where her too-large sweater draped lazily there— and she hummed sweetly as she wiggled her hips.

“Gee, _Mister—_ that was really somethin’.”

He groaned into her skin. “I don’t know— I ain’t got any idea where that came from. I’m sorry if it was… weird.”

“I liked it,” she admitted quietly.

He’d thought as much— but hearing her say it was something else entirely. He grinned against her throat as he pressed a kiss there. “That’s my good girl.”

Another shiver— yeah, Clyde reckoned she _really_ liked that.

He was remiss to pull out of her, doing so with a regretful sound— but when she maneuvered to her back to loop her arms around his neck— it made it a little more tolerable.

“That darn movie is still playin’,” she noticed.

He nodded. “Yeah. I reckon we don’t have to suffer through the end.”

“Well whatever will we do then?”

“Oh,” he grinned, leaning to brush his lips against hers. “I could think of a few things. Gotta get you home first.”

She smiled against his mouth. “I like that plan— but I need to let Mel know I won’t be coming home again.”

Clyde nodded— knowing it was one more thing that Mel would surely tease him about— but finding it didn’t bother him much. Mel would be lucky if he ever let her spend another night outside his bed.

He kissed her slowly—realizing he didn’t _want_ her to be anywhere else ever again. Realizing he was irrevocably _fucked_ for Rey Kenobi.

He found that didn’t bother him much at all either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is the closest to daddy kink I’ll ever get. 😬 What have I done to poor Clyde?
> 
>  _grinning like a possum_ -  
> 
> 
>  _goin’ around your ass to get to your elbow_ \- making things needlessly harder on oneself
> 
>  _keel over_ \- die suddenly


	12. More Sprung Than An Old Mattress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one probably cares because I take EIGHT THOUSAND YEARS TO UPDATE THIS GD FIC IM SO SORRY BUT — I think I’m done making moodboards for every chapter. I think that was one of the reasons making me drag my feet, (as well as plot problems) but I’m doin’ my very best over here. 😂❤️

“So when do you think you’ll be packin’ up your stuff?”

Rey looked up from the magazine she was picking through with a confused expression. “What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, girl.” Mel grinned as she pinned up another section of the woman currently sitting in her chair’s hair. “You ain’t spent a night at my place since your birthday party and that was four days ago. Can’t be long till my brother has you packed up to move in.”

Rey blushed as she bit her lip. “Too soon for all that.”

“Mhm.” Mel shook her head. “You ain’t ever heard of a whirlwind romance?” She snorted then, stopping what she was doing and turning to Rey with her hands on her hips. “Why— wouldn’t surprise me at all if that brother of mine had a ring on your finger before Spring.”

Rey felt some swooping sensation in her belly. “He wouldn’t— it’s only been—  _ surely  _ not.”

Mel shrugged as she gave Rey a knowing smile before turning back to her client. “I’m just saying is all. Ain’t ever seen my brother like he is with you. That man is more sprung than an old mattress.”

“You think so?” Rey couldn’t hold back the way she was beaming then, still remembering the way Clyde had told her he loved her that first time. 

Mel scoffed. “Think you’re all too aware. Did you tell him you needed him to pick you up here like I done told you?”

Rey nodded. “Yeah. He should be by soon.”

“Good.” Mel nodded to herself. “He can’t avoid me forever.”

Rey laughed. “I think he’d sure like to try.”

“Scaredy-cat,” Mel chuckled. “Don’t know why he’d be afraid of little ole me.”

Rey kept quiet— knowing all too well just how frightening Mel could be. She was definitely happy to be on her good side. 

“I’m excited,” Rey said instead, changing the subject. “I haven’t been to a parade since I was a kid.”

Mel shrugged. “Ain’t anythin’ to write home about. Just something the church and the school coordinate— but the kids love it. Jimmy is gonna bring Sadie and Sylvia down too. You ain’t met Sadie yet, have you?”

Rey shook her head. “Jimmy’s daughter, right?”

Mel nodded, grinning. “Little spitfire, that one. You’re gonna love her.”

Rey smiled, thinking to herself she could take a guess as to where the little girl gets  _ that  _ from. She was just opening her mouth to say so when she heard the familiar rumble of Clyde’s truck— her face splitting wider as she hopped off the dryer chair.

“Oh no,” Mel stopped her. “You wait right there. Make him come in after you.”

Rey laughed. “You’re evil, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”

Rey settled back into the chair— waiting as Clyde remained in his truck for a few moments— only hopping out when he realized Rey wasn’t going to come running out after him. She watched him linger outside the door— even in the fading light able to see his furrowed brow as he more than likely considered texting her to come out instead.

He seemed to come to a decision— pulling open the door and stepping inside— his too-large frame filling up the tiny shop like he was too much for it. 

Mel leaned against the chair she stood beside— one hand on her hip with one eyebrow cocked as she regarded her brother. “Well look who it is.”

He chewed on his lip a little. “Evenin’, Mel.”

“Surprised you remember my name— with the way you’ve been avoidin’ me.”

“Ain’t been avoidin’ anybody,” he mumbled. “Just been busy.”

Mel grinned wickedly as she cut her eyes to Rey. “I know exactly what you been busy with.”

“Just say what you gotta say, Mel.”

Mel shrugged. “Ain’t got nothin’ to say.” 

Clyde gave her a suspicious look— and Mel turned back to her client as she continued rolling up the woman’s hair in curlers. “I mean it.” Her smile turned sly. “ _ You  _ know how much of a stubborn ass you was bein’. Don’t need me to remind you.”

“And there it is.” Clyde rolled his eyes. “Been workin’ on that one all week?”

“Maybe,” Mel laughed. “Seein’ as I been alone every night.”

Rey swore she could see Clyde blushing, and she was almost _ certain  _ she heard a muttered, “And you better get used to it too.” But she couldn’t be sure. Clyde scratched at the back of his neck as he shook his head. “Y’all ‘bout ready to go?”

Mel glanced at the clock— then back to the woman in her chair. “Need about twenty more minutes here.”

“You serious? We ain’t gonna get a good spot if you sit here dilly-dallying.”

“Oh, shut it,” Mel huffed. “Two of you can go canoodle in your truck while I finish up.”

Clyde cocked an eyebrow as his face lit up in a grin— extending his good hand to Rey to help her out of her chair. “Well, if you put it that way…”

Mel shook her head at the pair of them as they walked out— mumbling under her breath. “Worse than a couple of horny teenagers.”

Rey pretended she didn’t hear. She couldn’t exactly argue.

* * *

It was nearly forty minutes later that they found themselves parked at the far edge of the grocery store parking lot— perched on the edge on the tail bed of  Clyde’s truck with a couple of thick blankets wrapped around their legs. 

“Where’s Jimmy?” Mel tutted. “They’re gonna miss it if they don’t hurry it up.”

Clyde squinted down at his phone. “Said they were parkin’ about five minutes ago. They’ll be here.”

As if called up they heard a holler off behind them— and they turned to crane their necks as they saw Jimmy heading their way with Sylvia in tow and a tiny person in his arms.

“You’re just about late there,” Mel grumbled.

“ _ Somebody—”  _ Jimmy gave an aggressive tickle at the little girl’s ribs, making her squeal. “—couldn’t decide on the right outfit for this fine occasion.”

“I gotta look my best, Daddy.” Sadie rolled her eyes. “I heard the Homecomin’ Queen is gonna be ridin’ on top of Mr. Mcbrayer’s Mustang, and she might  _ wave _ at me.”

Jimmy plopped her on the edge of the tail bed, quirking a brow. “And why, pray tell, do you gotta get all fancy for that?”

She turned to give Rey and Clyde an exasperated look, like her Daddy just  _ didn’t _ get it. “Be- _ cause,”  _ She drawled, “one day  _ I’m  _ gonna be the Homecomin’ queen — and I gotta build me up a good standin’.”

“Didn’t know I was Uncle to royalty,” Clyde chuckled.

Mel made an amused sound. “Lord, I did.” 

“Rey,” Jimmy offered, “I’m sorry in advance for this hellion.” He pointed to the adorable girl perched beside her. “She gets it from her mama.”

“Hush, Daddy.” The little girl shook her head before she turned on Rey. “My Daddy says you’re straightenin’ out my Uncle Clyde.”

Rey barked out a laugh as Clyde groaned. “Did he now.”

“Yeah,” Sadie nodded. “He also said you was  _ bendin’  _ him out too, but I don’t know what that means.”

Jimmy’s mouth fell open as Clyde’s face buried in his hands. “Oh, hey, hey, hey now.” Jimmy pressed a large hand on the top of Sadie’s head. “Enough of that. What I tell you about repeatin’ everything I say?”

“That it was gonna make Mama mad.”

“That’s right.” He turned to Rey. “I’m sorry, Sadie ain’t got what we call a filter yet.”

“I think she comes by it honestly,” Rey teased. 

“I  _ know  _ she does,” Clyde chimed in. 

Sadie shuffled around behind Rey then, situating herself between she and Clyde as she tapped her uncle’s shoulder excitedly. “I got me a new book I been readin’.”

Clyde grinned. “Did you now.”

“Yep. ‘Bout this boy diggin’ holes ‘cause he stole some shoes.”

“Seems like fair punishment to me.”

“But you and Daddy didn’t have to dig no holes when y’all stole that —”

Clyde flapped a hand over her mouth, making an uncomfortable expression as Rey started to laugh. 

“I think on that note I better catch a bathroom before this thing starts,” Rey told him. 

Clyde hitched a thumb behind them. “You can use the corner store back there. They got a bathroom.”

She nodded. “Be right back.”

She hopped down from the truck bed just as Clyde begins to explain a few things to Sadie in a low tone, setting off for the little store a short walk behind the truck. She gave the cashier a little wave as she walked inside, the woman pointing out the restrooms in the back as Rey made her way towards them. 

It didn’t take long to handle her business, and after washing her hands she stepped out of the tiny room with the intent of grabbing some candy to offer Sadie as an attempt to woo the little girl. She was perusing the shelves when a voice sounded behind her, one that made her jump a little. 

“Rey?”

_ No, no, no, not here — how did they — _

She turned slowly, heart still hammering but blowing out a breath of relief when she realized it was just Rose. 

“Hey, Rose.”

Rose looked nearly the same as when Rey had last seen her, too thin, too tired — much the same as Rey herself had looked just a few weeks ago. 

Rose’s eyes passed down the length of Rey, mouth in a tight line. “You look good.”

“Thanks”, Rey offered sheepishly. “I feel good.”

“We missed you,” Rose said quietly. “When you didn’t come back.”

Rey hung her head. “I know. I’m sorry. I just… couldn’t stay there anymore.” She peeked up to find Rose still giving her a wistful expression. “How is Hux?”

Rose shrugged. “Armie is… the same as any of us I guess.”

“Rose… y’all need to leave. Find somewhere else to stay. He’s ain’t your friend. He never  _ was  _ our friend.”

“We ain’t got nowhere to go, Rey,” Rose said quietly. “You know that.”

It made Rey’s heart hurt, because she  _ did  _ know that. It was only by the grace of God and more definitely the grace of the  _ Logans  _ that she wasn’t still there. Or worse. 

“Do they —” Rey felt cold dread seep into her belly, trying to find her voice. “Does anyone else know I’m here?”

Rose shook her head. “I’m just passin’ through. Never dreamed I’d find you here.”

“You can’t tell them,” Rey begged. “Please, Rose.  _ Please  _ don’t tell anyone I’m here.”

Rose’s brow furrowed, but she gave a slow nod of understanding. “Okay, Rey. I won’t.” Rey blew out a breath, relief coursing through her, but Rose opened her mouth only to force it to crumble. “But he knows you took some of his money.”

Rey’s heart began to pound. “It wasn’t hardly anything! Just enough for a bus ticket. He couldn’t have noticed.”

“This is  _ him  _ we’re talking about,” Rose sighed. “I heard him talkin’ to Gwen. He ain’t happy. He’s got us keepin’ an eye out for you.”

Rey’s eyes went wide. “Rose,  _ please,  _ you  _ can’t —” _

“Hey.” Rose held up a hand. “I said I ain’t. I just thought you should know.”

“Thank you,” Rey whispered.

Rose gave her a long look. “You look… happy.”

“I am.” She couldn’t help the little grin at her mouth. “I really am.”

“I’m glad,” Rose offered. “You deserve to be.”

Rey’s guilt ate at her like an old buzzard, working at her lower lip with her teeth. “Hey.” She tore off the corner of a for sale sign taped to a shelf, reaching for one of those too-large funny pens from a display and jotting down her number before handing it to Rose. “I gotta phone now… if you wanted to call me sometime. Let me know how you are.”

Rose stared down at the tiny scrap for a few moments before finally nodding. “Alright. I’ll do that.”

Rey hesitated for only a moment, finally brushing aside her trepidation and stepping in to wrap her arms around the smaller girl. “Be careful, Rose,” she said quietly. “And if you need anything.  _ Anything _ I can do — please call me.”

It was slow, but eventually Rey could feel Rose’s fingers curling around Rey’s side — returning the hug. “Thanks, Rey. I really am, you know. Glad. That you’re happy.”

“Thanks,” Rey told her softly. 

She pulled back, opening her mouth to speak again when the overhead bell to the store sounded out across the quiet space and was followed by her name in a much deeper tone. 

“Rey?”

_ Shit. Shit shit shit.  _

She turned to find Clyde strolling towards her — spotting her easily over the shelves with his ridiculously massive frame. He found her still huddled close to Rose, giving them a curious look. 

“Oh, hey,” Rey sputtered. “This is…” She trailed off, searching for the right explanation, desperately trying to avoid Clyde knowing about this part of her. 

Rose blessedly saved her from the task, sticking out her hand in offering. “Hey. I’m Rose. I’m a friend” — she gave Rey a wary look —“from high school.”

“Good to meet ya,” Clyde told her warmly, shaking her offered hand. “Ain’t ever met any of Rey’s friends.”

“Well, don’t really have too many,” Rey muttered weakly. 

Rose looked a little anxious, shuffling from one foot to the other as she tucked Rey’s number into her coat pocket. “Anyway… guess I better get goin’. Things to do, people to see and all that.”

“You gonna watch the parade?” Clyde asked her politely. 

Rose shook her head. “Na, I gotta head back home.” She cast a knowing look towards Rey. “Got people waitin’ on me to bring ‘em some stuff.”

“Oh.” Clyde scratched at his neck. “I get it.”

Rose gave Rey one last heavy look. “It was good to see ya, Rey. You —” She frowned a little, her eyes just a bit sad. “You take care of yourself, ya hear?”

Rey nodded. “You too.”

Rose brushed past them then, moving towards the front door and quickly exiting. Rey would bet anything her pockets were full. 

Clyde’s voice cut through her thoughts. “She seem a little sad to you?”

“Yeah,” Rey sighed. “She’s had a rough go of it.”

“That’s too bad,” he offered. “You okay? Got worried about ya when you took so long.”

“I’m fine,” Rey assured him, snaking her arms around his middle as he pulled her in tight and pressed a kiss to her hair. “Just didn’t expect to run into her here.”

“You meet people from your past at the strangest places,” he mused.

“Yeah,” she said softly, chest tight. “You do.”

“You ready to go back?”

She shook her head against his flannel. “Wanted to get some candy to bribe Sadie into likin’ me.”

Clyde rolled his eyes. “You’re pretty, you give her Daddy shit, and you done got the love of every other Logan in town — she’s gonna like you just fine.”

She tilted her chin to grin up at him. “You think so?”

He ducked to kiss her, smiling against her mouth. “You’re hard not to love, Rey. Trust me,” he chuckled softly. “I  _ know.” _

Her mind went to Rose and their shared past and everything that brought her here — and she didn’t know if that was true. 

But as he led her back outside, arm wrapped around her waist tight, warm and wide and  _ wonderful  _ and everything she wasn’t sure she deserved — she was glad that he loved her anyway. 

It was more than enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I been hinting but like, we’re gonna go around some curves here.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Come say hi on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kylotrashforever)!  
> I made a [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/KTF_Reylo), come follow me!  
> [Blame It On Midnight Soundtrack](https://open.spotify.com/user/1288719735/playlist/7uyOYKOFYuCri4Zqb9P6V4?si=SkDQELrBQS20Vgb3lr5TaQ)


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